'Something's not right': Bishopdale residents frustrated to have Covid-19 in their backyard

Thursday, 28 October 2021

Stuff visited Bishopdale Village Mall to see how Cantabrians are feeling about the new cases of Covid-19 in Christchurch.

Residents of Bishopdale in Christchurch have expressed their frustration at hearing the news that Covid-19 had managed to make its way from the North Island into their community.

Two community Covid-19 cases were identified in Christchurch on Wednesday evening after a woman in her 50s spent five days in Auckland and returned to Christchurch on October 15.

The woman and her partner, a man in his 40s, both returned positive results for Covid-19 after they were tested when they became unwell. The pair live together in Bishopdale, but has now been moved to a managed isolation and quarantine facility.

On Thursday afternoon, masked shoppers calmly made their way into New World at Bishopdale Village Mall despite the store being named as a location of interest earlier.

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There was no queueing and trollies were not packed with toilet paper and flour.

Kevin Ashby is struggling to comprehend how the virus had come south.

In fact, those that Stuff spoke to appeared both frustrated and resigned to the fact that Covid-19 had made its way into their community.

Les Bruce said he was bewildered when he heard the news as he had believed Auckland’s outbreak was contained to the North Island. Now he’s scared and wanting answers as to how Covid-19 came to his backyard.

Even though he was fully vaccinated, he admitted he didn’t feel protected from the virus. “We’ve still got to be wary, don’t we?”

Kevin Ashby shook his head as he relayed his confusion as to how the virus had escaped Auckland.

“It’s getting worse,” he reckoned. “Something’s not right.”

The 71-year-old struggled to comprehend how the Government had “let” the virus come south, but said another lockdown would be disastrous for businesses. “People are already feeling the strain.”

Godfrey and Marlene Gray at the Bishopdale Village Mall. Marlene Gray said the two new cases were a reminder not to relax safety precautions.

The double-vaccinated Bishopdale resident was not concerned about catching the virus, but rather about losing his freedom.

John, who didn’t want his surname used, said he was “not impressed about the whole damn thing”.

The fully jabbed elderly resident said another lockdown would cause “everyone” to suffer.

Outside a fruit-and-veg shop, Roger Turner stopped to tell Stuff there was no need to panic as long as the positive cases were isolated.

Disappointed at what he termed a “lack of control” over those that flew in and out of Auckland, Turner was also pragmatic stating it had only been a matter of time before Covid-19 arrived in the South Island.

Michael Gaton wanted to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible to protect his child.

For Marlene Gray the development was concerning, and a timely reminder to not relax safety precautions.

“But I think in this day and age, and the way things are going, it’s not a shock.”

Michael Gaton was unfazed by the news and was focused on getting his second vaccination when he drove to the Bishopdale Pharmacy.

With a young baby at home, he and his wife wanted to be vaccinated as soon as possible to protect their child.

The general unease was replicated in shop owners’ faces with several being unwilling to comment as they awaited locations of interest.

There was some good news though as Ministry of Health data showed the suburb has a relatively high vaccination rate when compared to the region's average.

Split into three areas, data shows more than 90 per cent of residents had been vaccinated in two Bishopdale areas, with the third area at 88 per cent.

By comparison, 89 per cent of the eligible population in the Canterbury DHB region has had one dose.

Christchurch city councillor Aaron Keown, who represents the Harewood ward which includes most of Bishopdale, was succinct in his advice.

“Mask up, scan in and get jabbed.”

Keown, who has been double-jabbed, encouraged people to have a rational conversation with friends or family who were not vaccinated. “Do not blame them or have a go at them. Have a genuine conversation about why they are choosing not to.”

He offered to drive anyone without transport to a vaccination clinic.

Bishopdale Medical Clinic on Eastling St, and Unichem Bishopdale on Bishopdale Court offer vaccinations, both for bookings and as a walk-in service.