Waiting for the vaccine is like waiting for Godot.

The famous "lakohou atfalakom la yanfa3 el nadam" slogan as rendered by Tarek Chemaly

Well, here we are - am waiting for my vaccine turn to come. To begin with, it seems a lot of people are not taking the vaccine. And here am talking about  many people I know, educated, smart, who read daily, but who still will not take the vaccine. I heard all kinds of reasons (will not say excuses as not to appear judgmental). A lawyer says she has allergies (which are actually some of the reasons listed not to take the vaccine), a biology major is not convinced of either of the currently available vaccines, a management consultant thinks we are being tested as guinea pigs, a science teacher is convinced vaccines are not effective and people are dying because of them, and a math teacher says that the vaccine leaves the mark of the beast on the body once taken.

Now being diabetic and having lived in a snood (because I wear hearing aids there is no more space to store anything behind my ears in a conventional mask) about all of 2020 and having reduced my outings to about once a  month (usually combining supermarket and bank trips at the same time), I honestly long for the pseudo-normalcy of a life considering that the rest of the conditions are far from ideal in Lebanon (devaluation of 78%, lack of access to our bank accounts, an explosion I have survived twice and the list goes on!).

But hey, Mario Abboud (the journalist) nailed it on the head with his "bala mokh" (figuratively "lacking brains") comment in his now infamous TV journal intro. The other day, right smack in the middle of the Joyce storm, someone knocks on our door. It turned out to be a neighbor who was back from her job at a bank and who wanted to pay us a visit. I mean seriously, she must have interacted with God knows how many people, when we are hunkering at home (me diabetic and mother elderly), but she still found it a good time for a visit.

That all of this is super worrying is not even worth mentioning. Because as I said earlier COVID is but one of Lebanon's problems. 

The COVAX platform is now online

And here it is finally.

The COVAX platform for the COVID vaccine is finally online.

I urge everyone and anyone to fill their data and coordinates to be able to take the shot (actually double shot in case of Pfeizer). All the necessary data are vital and yes, even your work etc is crucial in terms of classifying you in terms of priority. I was honest in all my replies so I urge you to do the same.

The information is very easy to fill by the way, but you need an email, a phone number (mobile phone) however to get the info across.

Please log in here.

Unicef - when vaccine turns to luxury

Ah here's a nice ad from Unicef - where vaccine is being dipped into luxury perfume advertising. Actually, the one in the red hat reminds me so much of Yves Saint Laurent vintage ads, but I digress. The ads actually notify governments and officials that half of the worldwide available doses have been booked by rich nations which makes the ones left quite a "luxury".

But wait, on a private level, it gets worse! How? Just look at my inbox or whatsapp, hoards of "educated" people are sending me articles (from Lord knows which websites!) which actually claim all kind of nonesense (apparently vaccines increase the level of death from Covid, apart from the two people who had an allergic reaction, and that the Lebanese are being used as a testing specimen because we had to sign that Pfeizer is not responsible for any side effects and the list continues....).

Honestly, as soon as the vaccine is here, and am allowed to get it, presto am getting it (sorry Maya Diab, and Haifa Wehbe and all the other deniers contacting me)!