I’m Cured, I’m Sure!

Kaposvár Thurs Jan 27 15:00/3pm Beautiful Blue Skies Hi: 1°C/°33.5°F Lo: -6°C/21°F

Just a few minutes ago, I returned to the apartment from the local hospital, where I was able to get the Moderna booster shot. It turned out to be a most enjoyable experience, more so because I had steeled myself for the opposite. That says as much about me and my expectations of being in an 'officious' situation, as it does about the lovely nurses & aides that assisted me. And it took all of 25 minutes.

With the Omicron variant of the coronavirus spreading throughout Europe, the Hungarian National Health Department recommended getting a booster shot. To emphasize the point, the Hungarian National Legislature made it a requirement: starting February 15th, if you wish to travel (and who doesn't), you had to have the jab or a booster or test results that you had had the virus within the past 4-6 months. Two weeks ago, I received an email explaining this new law, with the added information that appointments at vaccination sites would no longer be necessary; it gave the days/dates/hours and locations where vaccines were being distributed. Luckily for moi, the hospital and clinic is, literally, two blocks from my apartment. [I should mention that I have been trying to make an appointment on the official website since the first of the month, but I was continually either 'kicked-off' said website or it would freeze on me. I assume it was over-whelmed with people trying to do the same thing.]

Last week was the first that the vaccine was available, but every time I passed by the hospital clinic, there was a line out the door. Seeing as it has been below freezing for much of the past few weeks (it is the middle of winter, ya'll), I wasn't of a mind to stand out in the cold for an extended period of time. I returned this week to the same, very busy & what looked like an overwhelming situation for the health-care workers (so much so, that the military was called in and they were handling the initial contact with the populace when we first arrived, checking documents & taking temperatures; I assume this unit was what we would call the 'National Guard.') 

Today, I figured I'd walk by, and if it was busy, I'd pass and continue on to the grocery store, then on the return to the apartment, I'd check again. Well, much to my surprise/relief, there were only a few people standing in the anteroom, no line outside, waiting their turn. I stepped in, and by the time I put my mask on, pulled my official papers out, had my temperature taken and my passport scanned, I was at the front of the line. 2-3 minutes, max; very efficient, thank the lord. And very polite. (I might mention here, that in addition to my passport, I knew to have available my residence card, my address card and my vaccine card, and the young woman at the first desk inside wanted all of them.) Thankfully, she knew some English. 

After writing down all the numbers from my documents, she handed the piece of paper to another young woman, who led me to a long table full of Hungarians filling out their paperwork. Another surprise: the lovely young aide spoke to me in English, asking me the questions on the form & filling them out for me(!). Oh, joy! You can't know how tedious it can be, trying to fill out one of these official papers using my iPhone & the Google Translate app. This took 5 minutes, I'm guessing. Before taking the paper with her, she advised me to sit tight and someone would call my name. 

Sure enough, not 5 minutes later, I hear my name, 'Ken' David (I'm used to this now: there are no diphthongs in Hungary, every vowel is pronounced, so they don't know what to do with the double 'E.') The woman who called my name greets me in English and asks me which particular vaccine I want. How nice. She looks at my paper and asks if it is correct that I had had the J&J jab the last time. I said I did, but would prefer either Moderna or Pfizer, this time. She said, "Nem baj/no problem." And that's what I got.

This took less than a minute, with absolutely no pain; the nurse told me to wait outside and in 10 minutes they would call my name for me to take my new vaccine papers. It was the same young woman calling my name that had helped me with my paperwork. I made a point of saying, "Nagyon szépen  Köszönöm/Thank you so very much!" To which she laughed, either because I'd butchered her language or she was surprised at my speaking her language. I didn't care either way! "Viszontlátásra/Goodbye!" (More giggles.)

All told, it took 25 minutes(!). And I am so pleased. In a week to 10 days, I'll receive the hard copy, vaccine card, in the mail (it is exactly like a credit card, but with a QR-code instead of a magnetic strip). This will be of great use while getting on a plane to the U.S., which I will be doing in the next few months. You've been warned!