Vaccination : An extreme sport in Pune, India
Getting a vaccine shot in Pune, India is akin to extreme sports. Almost ! Coz you are trying to avoid getting killed while aiming for the prize- literally the gift of life and hope, this Vaccine. Every excursion out of your home is like going on a mission, given the horrible system of affairs in Pune today ! Live blogging this to kill time as I wait in line here.
It’s my fourth attempt to get the 2nd dose for my aged parents (75yrs+) today. The first time we were turned back after being in line for 3 + hours as we were on day 45 after dose 1.
Apparently some random new rule here in this centre says 2nd can be only on Or after Day50 . I inquired around and learnt I can go after Day45. That (Second ) time we were sent back again after being in line for couple hours coz only 100 lucky people can get the vaccine in a day ! Rest can go home. Third time all centres in the vicinity ran out of vaccines.
Given my proximity to the problem from a professional perspective, I had taken along almost a crowd of seniors from family & friends , for their first dose . Since then, Along the journey to second dose, I have lost two seniors to COVID. Both were one dose down. Dad’s elder brother, My 77 year old uncle can’t join us in line today - coz he is critical, fighting for life in the COVID ICU , in diabetic coma as I write this.
I am presently by myself in this line , having asked my parents to come a couple hours later as I would rather not expose them to crowds.
The Appointment from COWIN app has zero respect in this line here - coz only 3 out of these 80 odd folks have bothered to book one. The vaccine centre staff itself royally ignores the app slots as they have to honour physical efforts & local political interference for preference over digital pre-planning. So they will hand out tokens when they arrive at 10AM.
Like me I believe other folks too have requested others to stand in line/ “hold their spot “ . I was 30th in line around 7:30 am. Presently (8:45 am) I am 62nd.
It’s ridiculously funny out here. So far I have witnessed multiple BIG arguments around people breaking line , letting others join the line , supposedly educated versus others etc . None so far for pointing out lack of social distancing or absent masks or other logical reasonable arguments one can expect , if only for the sheer entertainment value.
One aunty presented evidence of having clicked a Pic with her phone at 6:30 am to PROVE she was here at that time (!) but stepped away to sit somewhere.-( Yes we are all standing as the chairs will come out only when the centre opens at Govt timings -10 AM)
So folks who should be social distancing (staying home ) , and are most vulnerable (coz age) and should be wearing masks - are here fighting ( their masks on the chin as everyone knows you can’t scream with masks on- and then again, how will you score points if you don’t argue well) . I am dreading the time when I finally let my parents walk in here :)
At around 9:15 A sweeper (the only official staff member available at the moment) has just informed us that we are wasting time as no vaccines are expected for the next three days! We ignore the sweeper , coz what would he know -right . At 10 am an officer makes an appearance, people drop their so-called discipline & flock around her . She obviously feels very important- stands very still , a long poignant pause added for dramatic effect and announces she has no idea if they will have vaccines today or tomorrow or Monday. So everybody should just go home .
The crowd moves in to argue.
I step away, dejected , yet again.
Mission aborted. Let’s live to fight another day.
