Thanks from ISO book

This book was gifted to Dr Ashley Bloomfield, Director-General of Health. He was one of the key figures who shepherded New Zealand through the Covid-19 pandemic from early 2020 (his first Covid-related public announcement was on 27 January 2020).
Thanks from ISO is by Accor and Ruby Jones, and documents various personal experiences of New Zealand’s Covid-19 Managed Isolation and Quarantine system (MIQ).

MIQ was a key part of the country’s border control strategy. From 9 April 2020 until mid-November 2021, international arrivals to New Zealand were required to stay in managed isolation for 14 days and be clear of Covid-19 symptoms for at least 72 hours before they could leave (from November 2021 the requirement was reduced to 7 days).

MIQ was a legal requirement under the Covid-19 Public Health Response (Isolation and Quarantine) Order 2020, and was managed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, supported by the New Zealand Defence Force. It involved many hotels (including Accor hotels), transport companies, healthcare providers, with more than 4500 dedicated workers at any one time. MIQ ‘helped nearly 230,000 travellers return safely to New Zealand and supported more than 5,000 members of the community as they faced their own COVID-19 battle’ (About MIQ | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, mbie.govt.nz).

Accor partnered with Ruby Jones for a 14-day residency called ‘Thanks from Iso’. Jones produced an original artwork each day to express the 14 days of isolation. She interviewed a wide range of hotel guests and workers (‘unsung heroes’) to create a rich and complex picture of MIQ. The book includes her work alongside thank you letters from hotel guests (anonymised) and photographs of the first exhibition of the project held in Allpress Studio, Auckland, December 2020. There are photographs of the opening event on 2 December 2020 (which Dr Bloomfield attended remotely), and the visit of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to the exhibition on 4 December 2020.

Only three of these books were made by Accor, and were given as gifts to the Prime Minister, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins, and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

Dr Bloomfield received many such gifts from grateful New Zealanders. Alongside the Prime Minister, Bloomfield was the public face of New Zealand’s Covid-19 pandemic response. He was widely praised for his calm and clear communication, inspiring a national ‘love affair’ and many outpourings of admiration. Their daily televised 1pm briefings became appointment viewing.