Thursday, Apr 2, 2020 Since Sept 27, 1879 Retail $2.20 Home delivered from $1.40 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY Increasing resilience Jaime Rapley with children (from left) Jack, 4, Piper, 3, and baby Harry, 1. PHOTO SUPPLIED P6 A whirlwind of activity, every day BY SUE NEWMAN water supplies as part of the Aqua Care noon we do another activity.” [email protected] team and she’s always happy when the The family escapes outdoors as often With three children under five, the Cov- call comes that a supply needs to be as possible, and count themselves lucky id-19 lockdown means there are no qui- topped up because that means a child- to have a large backyard with a trampo- et moments in Jaime and Paul Rapley’s free hour or two. line. They also hit the footpaths along lives. One week into lockdown, the couple with many others. Jack, 4, Piper, 3 and Harry, 1 create a have no complaints. As a family they’re “When we’re out walking now, it’s in- home that’s a whirlwind of activity all simply enjoying spending time together. sane the number of others out walking, day, every day. “So far it’s going well. We just take it’s great to see,” Jaime said. Paul, an engineer, is not working, and each day as it comes. It’s great when it’s Jack and Piper are usually at pre- Adapting for that Jaime’s grateful, it’s someone fine weather but when it’s raining it’s a school for some of the week and the to share the care load. She, however, bit rough though,” she said. care load is often shared with her moth- counts herself lucky that for a few hours They’ve established what she de- er who comes down from Christchurch. each week she can walk out the door scribes as a “lax routine”. For her mum, the lockdown is hard, to life and head to work. “We get up, have breakfast and then but regular Skype and message dates It’s her job to keep tabs on the chlo- set a goal, one big job for the day. Then allow her to keep in contact with her P10 rine supplies for Ashburton’s drinking there’s outdoor play and in the after- grandchildren. BE SAFE BE STRONG BE KIND Gluyas Motor Group 79 Kermode Street | (03) 307 5800 Ph 03 307 7900 to subscribe! Chris Hart Why not Browse our Fantastic Vehicle Sales Manager Mob 027 439 0887 Ray McLaren Online Stock selection now! Vehicle Sales Mob 027 602 3311 Adam Banks Vehicle Sales www.gluyasford.nz Mob 027 312 0028 www.gluyasford.nz News 2 Ashburton Guardian Thursday, April 2, 2020 www.guardianonline.co.nz Life alone – in lockdown Flu vaccine BY HEATHER MACKENZIE shortage [email protected] The prospect of being alone dur- ing the government enforced lockdown due to Covid-19, is only daunting enough for most peo- ple, let alone the most vulnerable in our communities. In particular, it’s tough on temporary those who are doing it alone. But one widowed Mid Canter- bury resident is taking it all in her BY SUSAN SANDYS stride. [email protected] The 79-year-old, who didn’t Mid Canterbury GPs are request- want her name mentioned, said ing patients wanting the flu vac- that this not really all that differ- cine to not phone their doctors. ent from years gone by when she Spokesperson Emma Andrew and her husband were farming said GPs would be contacting and heavy snowfalls would make their patients as the vaccine be- travel impossible and cut off ser- came available, working through vices, like power and telephone, their lists of vulnerable patients for up to weeks at a time. first. “At least with this, I still have There had been temporary power and my phone, and my shortages at some practices as house is nice and warm.” there was a lull from time to time Because of lessons learned Passing the newly made face masks between neighbours in an inventive non-contact way. in supplies coming through, and from those snowed-in days on clinic phone lines were getting the farm, and then the Canter- “It’s about being an approach- state-of-mind plays in trying Knowing she is very handy overwhelmed with calls about the bury earthquakes, she said her able person all-year round, so times. with a sewing machine, a neigh- vaccine. pantry and freezer are always when the chips are down, like “I still get down in the dumps, bour from across the street “Please can everybody be pa- well-stocked with essentials. they are now, people are there of course I do, but then that’s life asked if she could make face tient and not call in to their prac- “After the earthquakes they for you and you can be there for and you just have to get on with it masks. tice with queries about the vac- told us we had to have essential them.” as best you can.” Knowing she had the skills to cine,” Dr Andrew said. stuff on hand, so this shouldn’t Alongside the neighbourhood Finding things that make you do it was the easy part but find- At Tinwald Medical Centre, make much of a difference, at support she also receives a daily happy will help improve your ing out how to do it provided where she is based, a batch had least the ground isn’t moving as call from family members. Not spirits and pass the time. Ac- more of a challenge. been delivered last month but well.” being able to drive the 20 min- cording to her, getting out your However, it didn’t take the had now been used up, and no Going without veges is not utes to visit family, is something old photo albums is the perfect would-be mask maker all that further shipments were expected something she has to worry about this capable great granny is find- way to fill in an afternoon. Fail- long to find an instructional vid- until later this month. either. The green-thumbed tiller ing difficult. ing that, set to and clean out old eo on YouTube, she was particu- However, Dr Andrew was con- has a vege garden full of enough “I miss being able to catch up drawers and cupboards, you nev- larly proud of herself for manag- fident in the Ministry of Health’s fabulous looking produce to rival with my two great grandchildren er know what memories you will ing to navigate her way around assurances that there were plenty even the best in the business. and their parents, but I get daily find. the internet, and now she is of vaccines available for every- Having the most amazing phone calls from them and my “I was sorting out a drawer this merrily making masks for quite one, with 400,000 more than last neighbours is something she daughter rings me every day as week, and I found a little book a few on her street. year. credits to her lockdown not be- well.” my daughter gave me in 2002. In Staying in your normal rou- Dr Andrew said in previous ing the hardship it could be. For So, what advice does she have it were lots of lovely quotes and tine as much as possible is an- years the vaccine had not arrived her being able to wave to each to pass on to others finding sayings about how nice mothers other tip she has to pass on. until April, so to get the first sup- other across the street, receive themselves home and alone? are, so I sat down and read it, just “Just get up and do what you plies, as they had this year in mid- daily neighbourly phone calls High on the list of things to do, lovely.” would on a normal day around March, had been welcomed. and have the odd chat across the is to try and remain positive. She also said the bonus of get- the house, go for a walk in your “We are a little bit ahead an- boundary fence makes a huge She said after suffering the ting into the likes of the linen garden or around your house. yway, I think there’s a lot more difference. heartbreaking loss of her darling cupboard and pulling everything “I have been recording Les panic because of Covid-19. And “Everybody has neighbours, husband six years ago, she was out, is that the mess can stay Mills workouts on the morning last year people were starting to and it is up to you to get to know left with the sometimes seem- there for a few days, as nobody is telly, I have not had a chance get flu before vaccines were out,” them. If you have done that and ingly insurmountable task of going to call in and see it. to look at them yet but will get she said. something like this happens, you rebuilding her life alone, so she Keeping busy is something else around to it this afternoon, The Ministry of Health is urging already know each other.” fully understands the vital role she does to pass the time. hopefully, if I have time.” people to get vaccinated against the common flu to avoid taking up hospital resources that could be used to treat Covid-19 patients. This year’s vaccine campaign was brought forward by two weeks, beginning March 18 for Vehicles should survive lockdown people aged 65 and over, preg- nant women, and those with chronic conditions.