Covid vaccine delays are not helping us return to normality – Helen Martin

After a year of lockdown, how do we all feel about “normality” coming back at the end of April?

People walk passed a vaccination centre sign at the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh (Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA)

I’ve spent most of my time at home except for walking the dog, shopping in supermarkets, attending medical and veterinary appointments. I haven’t bought clothes, make-up, and only had my hair done once. (It’s now almost half-way down my back!)

Many of us will have to slowly adjust to traditional Scottish life while others will be racing to pubs, restaurants and entertainment.

The biggest concern right now is the delay of vaccine supply and, in the Lothians, the mess-up of failing to send appointment letters to priority age groups.

There’s a lot of talk about how people in their 40s may only have their jag in April, and how the 50s and under-65s, who were expecting their vaccine about now, will have to wait a little longer.

But there are over-65s who are still waiting. Aged 67, I had mine on February 20. But I know one friend who has not been given an appointment. She phones the vaccination helpline and booking service, they say she should get a letter or e-mail and if not, phone them back the next week. That’s been happening for about a month.

Those nearly 70 were a priority group but there doesn’t seem to be a system to establish how many aren’t on the system or the database and aren’t being dealt with by the helpline. Even a 71-year-old lady was reported as having gone through that nightmare in the Evening News last week.

All this may not be leading to “normality”.

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