Catching Covid… is it all that bad?
Here I am, 2 hours away from leaving the UK via Heathrow to head back to NZ and I get a positive covid predeparture test. I am an optimistic type of chap and thought, ok, that’s a bit of a bugger (insert different subtitles if you wish).
I left NZ on 9 September 2021 for sport related endeavors, am fully vaxed, MIQ sorted, and fully self-funded. I am 48, fit and healthy, so my risk levels were fairly low. That said, precautions were taken along the way with social distancing, mask wearing, cleanliness, etc.
Fair to say, you don’t go looking to get covid however, it is a reality of the world we live in. Well, that is of course, if you wish to get on with your life, keep running your business, live in a country that is not saddled with debt, etc.
So, what’s it like, having covid?
Being in the UK, the rules are very different. Firstly, I isolate at home not at a GVT run facility like Jet Park. Self-responsibility is encouraged here which is refreshing. Can I sneak out and play, go to the pub, supermarket, etc? Yes, I sure can but what is the point? On a selfish level it’s not going to help me recover so why bother? On top of that, I have no desire to infect anyone else. I guess not everyone will take the same approach.
My initial symptom was tiredness which I also had with the vaccines. Then I had a sore stomach on day four with feeling very bloated. I know, not attractive but nor is covid. That lasted about 24 hours. And now I have a cough… that lingering dry’ish cough, lost my sense of smell, few headaches, you know, the typical man flu… bar the smell thingie.
The NHS (DHB equivalent) checks in on me daily and I need to self-isolate until 23 October which is 10 days from when the symptoms started. Not ten days from my positive test. Seems that the focus is on when you are most contagious. That makes sense to me. NZ Government, perhaps you can check this out?
What about MIQ I hear you ask?
My travel agent, Kay Rogers from You Travel BOP has been amazing. I cannot praise her highly enough. “Leave it with me” she said, “just go and relax and deal with covid”. Righto, no probs, thanks.
At this stage I am super impressed with MIQ. I suspect this type of thing happens often so there is leeway built into the processes. Once I get signoff to travel (by a doctor not a covid test – more on that below), MIQ will change my allocation accordingly. I have to say that was something I was worried about.
NZ only requires a negative antigen test to enter which is handy as it typically doesn’t show that you have had covid in the past. Unfortunately, Singapore requires a PCR test (even for transit only) which is more sensitive and can show covid for up to 3 months. To get around this I can get a ‘fit to fly’ sign-off by a doctor here in the UK that confirms I am no longer impacted by covid. This does involve antibody tests and the like, but Singapore states they will accept this so long NZ accepts this.
Never quite easy and straight forward but it looks like things are falling into place.
And things at home? Well, my family is concerned obviously with all the different effects of Covid on different people. And my amazing team at Manage Group?
As much as I’m looking forward to coming home, my team have kicked in our Business Continuity plan, we keep in touch via email and Teams calls – maybe I should stay longer…
What are the learnings?
1. Don’t test positive two hours before your flight home!
2. Allow for self-responsibility. Typically, if you treat people with respect it is reciprocated.
3. For the person, focus on the high-risk period i.e. when is the person actually contagious?
4. Put your resources in areas where they matter i.e. why quarantine everyone in a facility that tests positive? Why quarantine every person arriving in NZ?
Martin Wouters
martin@managecompany.co.nz
