CORONAVIRUS

We’re ready to live life to the Max as NZ eases lockdown

HAPPY FAMILY: Maxine and Richard Noar with daughters Annabel and Joelle at the online celebrations for Joelle’s batmitzvah

MANCUNIAN Maxine Noar has looked on from afar with bewilderment over the British government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.

The 51-year-old lives in New Zealand, which brought in some of the toughest restrictions in the world on travel and activity early on in the pandemic.

And, in a country of five million, there have been only 1,400 cases and 12 deaths.

“It looks like the British and American governments have handled it chaotically,” Maxine told me from her home in the city of Nelson.

“The government here has made me feel so protected.

“Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been on television daily, from day one, telling us exactly what each level of alert meant and exactly what was happening.

“It has felt like a clear path, whereas in Britain and America, there does not seem to be any one person taking control.”

New Zealand says it has stopped community transmission of Covid-19, effectively eliminating the virus.

On Tuesday, Ardern announced that the virus was “currently” eliminated, hours before the country moved out of its toughest level of social restrictions.

And some non-essential businesses, healthcare and education activity have resumed.

Maxine, who is married to Richard and mother to Annabel, 19, and 12-year-old Joelle, said: “In the beginning we were a little worried because there had been a couple of confirmed cases in what is such a small country.

“Going into lockdown was scary — we had two days at level three and then we went straight into level four.

“It was surreal, knowing you could not actually do anything or go anywhere.”

It also meant that Joelle’s batmitzvah, on April 5, had to be done via the Zoom video conferencing app.

Maxine’s mum, Sheila Johnson, is in Manchester, while her siblings, Simon Johnson and Sara Jackson, live in London.

Sheila, Sara and her family were due to fly into New Zealand on April 1 for the big day.

“It was upsetting, knowing that we would have to cancel all the celebrations,” Maxine explained.

“Joelle performed her Torah portion and gave a small Dvar Torah over Zoom, and we had family watching from all over the world, including Britain, Canada and Israel.

“We have pencilled in October 3 for the celebrations.”

Joelle featured in the Jewish Telegraph in December after releasing the song I Love Life.

The family suffered a further blow last month when Maxine’s British-based maternal uncle, Peter Wall, died.

“That was really hard,” she said. “Under normal circumstances, I would have tried to have come back to the UK.

“The family, obviously, could not hold shiva, either.”

Maxine helps runs her husband’s dental practice and also works as a counsellor and hypnotherapist.

She also recently opened a cheerleading club, Electrix Cheersport Nelson & Motueka, with daughter Annabel.

But, like many millions of people round the world, their businesses have been financially impacted due to the pandemic.

“We have a lot of staff to look after and have had more expenses with the cheerleading club,” said Maxine, who moved to New Zealand 13 years ago.

“We trust what the government is doing, but financially it is really scary.

“We are concerned about trading out of the debt we currently find ourselves in.”

While the family have been able to take advantage of the sunny weather in Nelson, Annabel has also been making keep fit videos for the cheerleading group.

“It has kept the kids engaged over the past couple of weeks and will, hopefully, bode well for the future,” Maxine added.

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