Time is something many of us have on our hands at the moment if we are self isolating. For once, there is time to think, and there is a lot worth thinking about.
The first thing to think about is that, for perhaps the first time, essential services have been defined and essential workers have been identified. Sadly, the pay rates of many of our essential workers do not reflect the importance of their work. We can’t manage without them. They can’t self isolate, no matter how much they would like to. Our cleaners, rubbish collectors, supermarket workers, courier drivers, and care workers are among the lowest paid workers in the country. Clearly that needs to change, immediately.
The second thing worth thinking about is how much the neighbourhoods have come alive during the lockdown, how comforting it is to know there are people in the houses on our streets, to hear children playing and to see people walking around the neighbourhood – albeit carefully observing the 2 metre rule. Perhaps it’s time for families to have more time together and everyone to have more leisure time. Perhaps we could consider reclaiming the 40 hour working week and the weekends by reintroducing penal rates for over time, evenings, and weekends. If businesses want to open all hours, let them, but let the workers get the benefits. People working fewer hours means more jobs to go around, and sadly many are going to be looking for jobs once the coronavirus is finally defeated. Tourism will not provide the answer.
The third thing to contemplate is how good it is to have a public health system and how comforting it is to know that if we do get ill with coronavirus we will be treated.
That’s exactly how it should be – all the time. Capped budgets, reducing staff to the bare minimum, insufficient equipment, and long waiting lists are things we don’t need to put up with. Healthcare, including dental care, should be free for everyone and easily accessible. Students queue up to get into medical and dental school. Why not let many more of them in, provided they have the academic ability and personal attributes needed? The coronavirus has made it clear the world needs lots more health professionals.
In the same vein, nobody’s health should be at the whim of a big pharmaceutical company. If the coronavirus has shown us anything it’s that free testing, free treatment, and free vaccines are the only way to deal with it. Remove patents from pharmaceuticals so that lifesaving treatments are always available to everyone. The New Zealand public have made it very clear that anyone attempting to make money out of the coronavirus is the lowest of the low. Let’s apply that to other illnesses.
Things have changed. There was no choice. For once we are all moving in the same direction, for the common good. How can we continue to move forward together and not go backwards once this is over?