While the UK struts its stuff boasting about how many people they have vaccinated (is this the only thing Bojo and his bunch of fellow clowns has got right when it comes to the Coronavirus?), the rest of Europe, including Spain, has been less successful with their vaccination programmes. This has come about because of a mixture of poor organisation, bad procurement and lack of supply. The fiasco of the Astra Zeneca boycott by some countries hasn’t helped either.
How has it been for EyeOnSpain contributor Pablo de Ronda?
Thursday am
My mobile rings
¿Rita Whitelock?
No, soy su marido. Rita es nombre de mujer y yo soy un hombre. Se nota por mi voz.
(Embarrassed cough.)
It was a call to offer my wife Rita a vaccination date.
¿Cuándo?
Mañana a las 12 horas.
Lo siento. Está fuera de España. Vuelve el lunes que viene.
Vale. Llamamos otra vez la semana que viene.
Friday pm
My mobile rings
¿Rita Whitelock?
No, soy su marido. Rita es nombre de mujer y yo soy un hombre. Se nota por mi voz.
(Embarrassed cough.)
It was a call to offer my wife Rita a vaccination date.
¿Cuándo?
Esta tarde a las cuatro.
Lo siento. Está fuera de España. Vuelve el lunes que viene.
I explained that my wife was out of the country until Monday. I also explained to the nice lady about having a similar call yesterday and that I was told they would ring again – next week, not the next day!
She apologised for the confusion and suggested we ring the Centro de Salud ourselves to make an appointment.
OK. We can do that.
Saturday am
Rita is 69, so she is in the cohort being given the Johnson and Johnson version.
I’m 70 and am in a different cohort which is due to be jabbed also in April (it’s already 24th April, by the way, and I haven’t heard a dickie-bird.)
I read in SUR in English that 70 to 79-year-olds are to get the newly approved Janssen drug, which only requires one injection to be fully effective. Suits me.
Then, as soon as possible, I want to get el pasaporte verde to verify my Covid-19 status and let me travel without hassle. Can’t wait – no £100 a night quarantine in a UK hotel necessary then!
Hey, Amy, Carlo, Felix and Jude! And Jeryl! I’m on my way to Bow in the East End of London!
Tom, Su and Wilbur. See you by the sea in St. Leonard’s on Sea!
Simon and Marilyn. Get that double bed in your guest bedroom in South Gloucestershire made up!