Members of a NZ Facebook group were asked several weeks ago to share their Covid-19 experiences.

Most New Zealanders living in New Zealand have not had Covid and do not know anyone who has. Those who have commented with the stories below. *Names have been removed and minor spelling or grammar edits have been made for clarity. Facebook has since taken down the page.

  1. My dad’s friend had it. She is in remission from cancer and multiple other health conditions and she said it was like a bad cold. She was still going to her kids sports games (lives in the US) and she recovered fine. She had the vax a few weeks back (months later) and now she’s experiencing dementia like symptoms out of nowhere. She’s in her early 40s.
  2. We had a discussion around the dinner table this evening about how the ‘flu had disappeared and how 500 people a year in NZ normally die from it – is that correct? And is it correct that it has disappeared this last year? Some family members said it’s because we have been in lock down and we are using better hygiene practices – to which I explained we have been open for over a year in NZ so that can’t be true and we have had other viruses such as RSV. Where did the ‘flu go?? Does anyone know?
  3. Also I don’t know anyone in NZ who had Covid however we know a ton of people – friends and family who had it all over the world to differing degrees. The majority – those who stayed home – recovered – young, middle aged, old, adolescents. The ones who passed – a very dear friend, old work colleague and family member died in hospital – all on ventilator and one for certain was given Remdesivir – you have got to wonder, right?
  4. I know of at least 15 people who have the delta in NZ they all said its like a cold they lost smell and taste for about 3 days – 2 weeks; most weren’t vaccinated about 10 have recovered and are at home the others are still in MIQ doing fine.
  5. I have a long time friend in the states who had Covid and said it was like a normal cold/flu. My brothers friend got the vaccine and was fighting for his life. He’s not getting the second one because of it. I got sick a couple time’s last year, I never got tested but I wouldn’t be surprised if I was positive with ‘Covid’. I didn’t have the exact symptoms though like runny nose or loss of taste and smell, at least not hugely, but it was a respiratory cold for sure.
  6. My naturopath had it (caught it overseas) and recovered perfectly. Three of my cousins in Turkey (all over 60) have had it and while it was a nasty flu none of them required hospitalisation and recovered. I spoke to someone in a similar group who has had it and the only symptom she had was lost of taste for a while.
  7. Yes my aunty had it bad last year down in Taranaki, she’s over 60 and has pre-existing health conditions. My neighbour also got it, he’s early 40s Air NZ Pilot, he had a headache and lose of taste, 3 days later was mowing the lawns. Healthy guy. So seems to be bad particularly older and those in poorer health.
  8. I haven’t meet any one or heard any one in my circle that has had Covid-19 in the 2 years. But I know of one person from my work affected by the vax. And one of my mates got a message from one of his customers saying his employee had a reaction all ready its only been 1 week.
  9. A friend in the UK had it and her partner and they are both immunocompromised and both said they have had worse ‘flus before. Recovered in a week. Both unvaccinated. A guy I know in 70s had it here in NZ last year and didn’t even feel sick at all – just lost sense of taste and smell for a week.
  10. My daughter had it quite badly in the UK in the early stages – March 2020. At that stage just stayed at home and very unwell. Had all the symptoms including respiratory. Now says she has a bit a wheeze as a long Covid symptom if she gets a cold. Also have nephew and niece in NZ and they both had very few symptoms and fine in a few days. Also had another daughter working in Covid ward for a year with minimal PPE and never had it.
  11. Friends in Canada have had it, said on a scale of 1-10, and a bad hangover being a 10, was a 4. I know a couple here in NZ first not too bad symptoms second pretty bad lost about 10kg pretty rough that person’s mama died. My mum’s cousin died in Aussie few weeks back. Also know some people in states who also got it – one ended up in hospital on ventilator close to death. But thankfully made it through. Just thought to say coronavirus is real I don’t think we should be questioning the virus – yes the shady things hiding behind the virus like governments decisions and actions, but the virus itself it is real. Hopefully we just don’t have bad reaction. I feel like if we do our best living healthy lifestyle etc staying healthy and building our immune that will help heaps?
  12. Nope, but know of a few friends that have had it, just like a cold and they’re perfectly fine! Know of lots of family friends and their children who have had very serious reactions to the jab though. I refused to get it with a family history of myocarditis. Just isn’t worth the risk to me with two young children raising them by myself. Id much rather die from getting Covid myself and try battle it rather than take an injection that may cause me to drop dead instantly or months later. A friend of mine is having seizures but it’s 3 months on from her last jab, never a history of epilepsy that she’s said of, I just feel so bad and upset for her that she now can’t work, drive etc. I’m wondering if it could be linked but we never know…
  13. My cousin had it and said it was the sickest she’s ever been and that she thought she was going to die. Other than that I’ve heard stories of others who had a bad cold. I know one bloke through Facebook that had Covid. He lives in the States. He had mild symptoms with Covid-19. Then got the first vax early this year and had a stroke after. Refused the second shot. He’s 50 yrs. As I said I know him through FB so haven’t spoken in person but his typing was really fookd up from the stroke and hasn’t improved much. He’s pretty pissed off.
  14. I do know of a healthy, fit man in his 20s that had cardiac arrest after jab though.
  15. Scotland is reporting a “Mystery 25% increase in heart attacks” this year.
  16. We know family friends in USA that had it and all their staff 1,500 and no one died. My dad was even around someone at the start of it all that had Covid and he never got it.
  17. I have family and friends overseas who have had Covid. Ages from 2-76. Varying health statuses… from healthy and fit to chain smoker with triple bypass and chain smoker with asthma. Some were asymptomatic, some had mild symptoms and others felt pretty rotten but they all survived without “medical intervention”.

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I am happily a New Zealander whose heritage shaped but does not define. Four generations ago my forebears left overcrowded, poverty ridden England, Ireland and Germany for better prospects here. They were...