Nomadic Backpacker gets vaccinated against Covid in Mexico
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of Palenque, Mexico are the ancient ruins.
But I came here with a slightly different agenda.
And that was the chance to get vaccinated.
As time goes on, the chances that I end up with Covid, increases.
I’ve been on the road for 19 months and 16 of those have been with this whole covid shit never far from my mind.
105 days stuck in Kenya after the president shut down the airport and closed the borders. I ‘escaped’ to the Balkans, ended up having to isolate in North Macedonia, then ended up in Turkey before resurfacing in Mexico.
I have always played it safe. Always masked up and maintained social distance but that is not always possible.
The chance has always been there that I would end up with Covid like the many millions who have/had it.
Maybe I already had it.
Avoiding having to backpack the inside of a hospital has always been top priority.
Getting vaccinated was always the aim but as a tourist in a country that is not my own, that I have no residency for, just being here or anywhere on a regular tourist visa, getting vaccinated was always going to be a stroke of luck. And after all, locals do and should be given priority.
Mexico is running a magnificent vaccination program.
With a population of over 127 million, in Mexico City at least, they are on the 18+ group with the 2nd dose being administered to the 40+ group. And they didn’t get started until March and have far fewer resources than the Big Bad West.
The state of Chiapas, with towns like San Cristobal and Palenque having a high number of indigenous people who are mostly anti-vax, so there is a surplus, giving a chance for Guatemalans to cross the border and people like myself to get that important shot!
The Chiapas health department updates the schedule every week. On Monday, August 2, the new schedule was made live and Palenque was listed and this coincided with my timing to leave Guatemala and return to Mexico.
So after a mammoth 13 hours of non-stop travel in tropical temperatures, from Flores to Palenque, I arrived back in Mexico.
After a restless night, I went off in search of food and then headed to the Conalep school which was the allocated vaccination centre.
It’s never easy because of my lack of Spanish but I always muddle through.
Of course, as a gringo I have none of the usual documents. But I like to think that I sweet-talked my way through.
‘Can you help me?’
The reply was music to my ears, ‘si’.
So that’s it. Nomadic Backpacker — world traveller — global nomad now has the 1st dose of AstraZeneca.
2nd dose can be administered between 55 to 80 days, anywhere in Mexico.
Originally published at https://www.nomadicbackpacker.com.
