Vaccination Diary

 Vaccination Diary

 

 

At some time at the beginning of the first century CE (AD) the Romans conducted a tax census in  the province of Judaea. According to one of the Gospels, it was decreed by the Emperor that people must return to their tribal areas to be registered. Two returnees were Joseph and the pregnant Mary, who had to get back to Bethlehem – where they had no place to stay, their home being in Nazareth, in another province.

 

As the great Vaccine Roll Out is rolled out in England, a modern variant of the ancient census journey is under way. The Vax Decree (or rather Invitation) assumes that people are residing in their place of medical registration (that is, usually, the place they call home) and can visit local medical sites to bare their arms.

 

But numbers of the prosperous middle classes own second homes away from the cities, and fled to them at the start of the pandemic. There they have, by and large, remained. The Vax Invite has, therefore, brought these residentially lucky folk back to their “first” homes, albeit temporarily, in a Judaea-like migration….

 

You get the Vax Invite in one of three ways: a message from your GP practice; a message from a hospital designated as a vaccination “hub”; or a sudden call from someone connected with one of the first two, saying that they haven’t used up their doses for the day, and you can have one if you hurry… Obviously, you have to know that someone. And that someone shouldn’t egregiously hoist acquaintances over the queue..

 

I’ve experienced all three channels, vicariously or personally. I was sitting with a “bubbled” friend when, at about 7pm, a call came from a GP neighbour of hers. Was she able to get to a certain vax centre, a mile or so away? There may be doses left over. Yes, was the reply. Ten minutes later, the summons came: come as quickly as possible. 

 

I went as well, to navigate the slightly too-fast driven car, and in the slight hope that there might be a dose spare for me.

 

There wasn’t. But the GP vaccinated my friend, at the literal end of the clinic day. A mere trickle of other patients (some similarly summonsed) and the staff chatting and winding down..

 

I was not really put out, for the next morning I had my official appointment, all correctly made by my GP practice, although at a centre on the other side of my borough.

 

Again a car journey, further but more sedate than the previous evening. Here was a bigger medical centre, with a full flood of those summonsed, at 10 o’clock on a Saturday morning.

 

A bit of a queue, socially distanced at the tail by automatic sliding doors. A queue monitor issuing number tickets. A receptionist behind the usual reception screen, typing in your details. And then an open waiting area, where you went and filled out the health questionnaire (making sure the vaccine would be safe for you). 

 

Young volunteers were calling out numbers. And here’s a puzzle. Everyone there had had a number issued, and had been checked in and seated. But lots of the number calls went unanswered (language problems? Last minute funk? Sheer bewilderment? Calls of nature?). So much so that I, about 10-12 down when I found a seat, barely had time to tick and sign my form before I was on my feet and being led forward to a long corridor.

 

Left and right were the doors of about 6 consulting rooms. By each door was a solitary chair, for the next Vax customer. You sat down, were encouraged to get your clothing off your arm, and waited several minutes. Eventually the previous patient came out, directed onwards down the corridor. The door shut, presumably for paperwork and cleaning, for a few more minutes.

 

Then in. A young, friendly medic, with perhaps a Northern Irish accent. Another person at a computer. Any questions? Hold your sleeve up.. those usual words: “a bit of a scratch”. Then, “all done”.

 

Out into the corridor, clutching coat and jumper. Ushered round a corner to the exit to the car park. Could I retreat down an empty passage to reclothe first? OK. Then out and away.

 

A day later, I was surprised to receive a text from a London hospital hub – please book your Vax appointment. Was this a stuck LP disc?

 

It seems that GP and hospital programmes are not well coordinated, and that numerous people are receiving duplicate invitations, like me {whilst some are still waiting for any invitation). It must be confusing for those that assume, reasonably, that this is not a mistake, and book a duplicate appointment. Thus Vax-blocking others.

 

January 2021