Day Twenty-three; This door is locked

Late this morning I needed to get some milk for S' coffee. Chose to have a walk through Tuna Mau (Western Park), the oldest civic park in Auckland, before calling at the supermarket on the way back. What is now the Auckland Domain was begun some years earlier, but in private rather than public ownership at first. Tuna Mau has always been a public park. Various amenities were added after the initial planting and path making.

This little building was a convenience; almost certainly for men only. It was built before World War I, and therefore before the great influenza epidemic of 1919. The wrought iron door is now padlocked shut, and modern, hygienic unisex toilets have been built nearer to the children's playground.

The band rotunda, which was also built in the early years of the 20th century, has been demolished and not replaced. 

New Zealand's closure three weeks ago appears to have succeeded in halting the spread of the Covid-19 virus. I doubt that we will have no restrictions when the present lockdown is modified next week. It was good news that only eight new cases have been reported in the 24 hours to midday today; of those, just two are confirmed. All eight are linked to one or another of the known big clusters. But all we need is one person currently asymptomatic to go into a busy place "shedding the virus", and all we will have achieved would be to have delayed the disaster.

The exit doors will not be thrown wide open next week, is my prediction. More of the same with some widening of who can return to work.