News that COVID-19 has been confirmed back in the New Zealand community will have shocked and saddened many Kiwis.
Before Tuesday's announcement that four people have tested positive for the virus in south Auckland, it had been 102 days since the virus was last detected in the community.
With Kiwis believed to be becoming complacent, officials have been warning that another outbreak was to be expected. The Director-General of Health last week said it was a matter of when, not if, while New Zealanders were also asked to stock on masks in precaution.
In response to the new cases, Auckland will move to alert level 3 from midday on Wednesday, while the rest of the country heads to alert level 2. At level 3, Kiwis are asked to work from home, while businesses can open, but physical interaction with customers isn't allowed.
With COVID-19 being a tricky virus to stamp out and the pandemic having caused economic mayhem around the world, understandably, many Kiwis would have reacted with anger and frustration.
"It is important to remember that emotions evolved to provide us with information that could help us make sense of our experiences and guide our behaviour," registered clinical psychologist Jacqui Maguire said.
"For example, anxiety alerts us that we are facing a threat and need to act in a way that ensures survival. What does this mean right now - wash your hands, cough into your elbow, and if you are in Auckland stick to your bubble.
"Disappointment signals we have lost something meaningful to us - in this instance our liberty. Take that disappointment and use it as motivation to stick to the rules.
"Turning away from or suppressing your emotional reactions will only intensify them."
She called on Kiwis to be compassionate and take one day at a time.
Dianne Lummis, the programme leader for the Masters of Psychotherapy - Child and Adolescence at AUT, said families should be alert to how their children are dealing with the new situation.
"Families should take the time to reassure children and vulnerable family members that they are safe and that this is just a precautionary measure designed to protect the whole of Aotearoa’s whānau," she said.
Lummis said some children may be sensitive to increased anxiety or tension in the family unit following the announcement.
"Children may have a number of feelings at this time, including; fear, anxiety, sadness, and anger, and it is important for adults to help put this short-term lockdown in perspective. It is normal for children, and adults to feel dysregulated as another change to their routine [following the previous lockdowns and the recent school holidays] impacts them so suddenly.
"Children and adults need to take the time to address the feelings generated by the rapid changes and uncertainty and to reassure one another and be kind."
Left unchecked, anxiety and fear can "drive our behaviour", according to Dr Dougal Sutherland, a clinical psychologist with Victoria University of Wellington.
"The first thing people should do is stop and take a deep breath. Pause and notice how we’re feeling," he said.
"Once we’re calm, remember that we’ve done this before. We can remind ourselves of what levels 2 and 3 were like and what we did to get through them.
"Then make some plans. Planning gives us back a sense of control. Cancel those non-urgent appointments and buy yourself some time.
"Get into the habit of regularly checking in on yourself. How are your anxiety or anger levels now? Do I need to do something to help soothe myself again?
"We’ve done it before and we can do it again - even though it’s really really annoying to have to do it again," said Dr Sutherland.
Restrictions across the country will last until at least midnight on Friday. Officials are currently trying to trace the contacts of the four confirmed cases in an effort to understand how they became infected.
