Covid-19 five years on

Hibiscus Matters editor Adrienne Kohler reflects on the five year anniversary of Covid-19.

A photo came up in my memories the other day that I call “The day I got Covid.” It was taken on February 6, 2020, when I was living in Los Angeles and working for Canon USA. 

Some of my colleagues had just returned from the Sundance Film Festival. A couple of days later, they were all sick. A few days after that, so was I.

Later, it turned out Sundance 2020 was one of the first superspreader events of the Covid-19 pandemic.

By February 28, the first case appeared in New Zealand, and on March 11, the World Health Organisation declared a global pandemic.

Looking back, the memories come in quick succession: the day supermarket shelves at Whole Foods were stripped, the day the pandemic was declared, the mandatory lockdown in LA, returning to New Zealand through an eerily empty Los Angeles airport, entering quarantine, the joy of leaving quarantine, and then, three weeks later, back into lockdown in Auckland.

Now, suddenly, it’s 2025. For many of us, time between 2019 and 2025 seems to have moved in fits and starts, but there is no doubt the pandemic has had a significant effect on our lives.

According to Statistics New Zealand, some sectors still haven’t recovered to pre-Covid levels. For example, overseas visitor arrivals in November 2024 were 86 percent of those recorded in November 2019.

Hellen Wilkins, Business Manager of Destination Ōrewa Beach, has closely monitored these changes as the organization has maintained statistical data on the area’s performance for years, including throughout the pandemic.

“One of the most significant factors affecting businesses across all sectors has been the reduction in discretionary spending, largely driven by rising mortgage rates, an issue felt nationwide,” she says. “Beyond this, the most persistent challenges for the retail and hospitality industries in the post-Covid landscape have been ongoing product cost increases and widespread staff shortages. Additionally, our experience in organising events has highlighted the exponential rise in service and infrastructure costs, a concern impacting businesses across the board.”

For destination towns like Ōrewa, the financial impact of losing national and international tourists was substantial. However, Wilkins says there are signs of recovery.

“We are now seeing a strong resurgence, with tourist buses returning to Ōrewa multiple times a week, which is an encouraging sign for the local economy,” she says.

A particularly positive shift has been the way businesses have adapted and diversified their models in response to Covid-related challenges. Many have embraced digital transformation, with a significant increase in online shopping options. Restaurants that previously operated solely as dine-in establishments now offer takeaway and delivery services. Businesses have also adjusted staffing strategies to align with peak foot traffic, refined product offerings to meet changing consumer spending habits (for example, supermarkets increasing home-brand options over boutique brands), and continue to navigate ongoing supply chain disruptions.

For many, the pandemic also changed the way we work. Dr Nicola Green, a senior lecturer in health and work at Massey University, says one of the most direct impacts was the shift to remote work.

“People had to work from home and then realised its benefits, while organisations also saw that it could help manage disruptions,” she says. “Organisations learned that working from home was good for business continuity, as well as employee retention and recruitment.”

She says the recent push for a return to the office often comes down to management style. Many organisations have now adopted a hybrid model, blending office and remote work, as evidence suggests this offers the best balance.

“But 100 per cent remote work has its downsides, as there is no separation between work and home, leading to burnout.”

The recently released Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19 Lessons Learned highlighted that even people who were doing well before the pandemic found themselves struggling financially, emotionally, and socially.

“Some were more susceptible to loneliness and isolation; others suddenly had to get by with less income, while for some, their previously manageable living arrangements became unsafe.”

The report also noted that the pandemic exacerbated existing social challenges, including unaffordable housing, high rates of mental ill health, long-standing inequities for Māori and other groups, and persistent economic disadvantage.

While the report’s recommendations focus on preparing for future pandemics, the social and economic impact of Covid-19 is still being felt across New Zealand. A number of studies conducted shortly after the pandemic found that it accelerated structural changes in the workforce, education, and mental health services, some of which will have long-term consequences. Five years on, while recovery is underway, the legacy of Covid-19 continues to shape our daily life.