In this video I'm in Auckland. When lockdown was announced I was in Wellington for a friend's funeral. Then came the emergency lockdown announcement for Tuesday at 11.59 pm. I was looking at my phone in shock. It was definitely happening. I changed my flights. I had to go through Auckland, but flights to Christchurch were cancelled so I got stranded in Auckland. It’s been 7, 6 or 7 weeks roughly.
People are already becoming more used to access needs. Like...Deaf Aotearoa has these cards: "Could you lower your mask?" So, in my experience it's been more easy-going. Not everything has become more accessible but there is more awareness. Like, some people have see-through masks, some people are already vaccinated so if I indicate that I'm Deaf they will take their mask off one ear and articulate "You can’t do that" or "Can’t" etc. and I can understand them. So, there's more access because people have become more aware, that’s been my experience in Auckland.
There's a dairy nearby me and they know now that I'll point at what I want, or I say "No, no, not this one that" and they keep track of which things I'm after and hand them over. There's more awareness and comfort with gesture. Sport is still very limited. You can't get out to do much. Go food shopping, then back inside, out to the dairy, back in the house. There’s a lot of sitting around the house and it’s frustrating, it's been 6 or 7 weeks in the house and you can’t do anything really except go out for a walk...[sigh]
But access wise, people are becoming more aware. And masks, some people have the face shields. Mmm. So that's been my experience in Auckland. Better access for Deaf people that’s what I’ve seen.
Thank you.
