Covid-19 Vaccine: Our Passport to Freedom.
I was relieved to get my first dose of the Covid-19/SARS-CoV-2 vaccine recently. Shortly after receiving my jab the friendly nurse at the vaccination centre handed over my vaccination card with a date stamped on it and a space for the date of my second dose. She smiled and with a twinkle in her eye she said… “Here it is, your passport to freedom”. Her words summarizing exactly how I felt.
My husband also had his vaccine a few days before mine and just like mine, it was easy, painless and there were no bad side effects post-vaccination.
Who would have believed that a year ago, just as the UK was going into a total lockdown because of a worldwide coronavirus pandemic, we would be joining millions of others receiving the first dose of a vaccine against the deadly Covid-19 disease? In less than one year Covid-19 vaccines has been designed, tested, approved, manufactured and injected into peoples arms.
At the start of 2020 the race to find a vaccine was charging ahead, but with only very cautious hopes of any success.
The global emergency has led to extra funding for research and resources, therefore by December 2020, several vaccines reported successful trials with the German Pfizer vaccine being the first fully tested vaccine to be approved. Although it appears that progress was super fast, in reality, vaccine research has been ongoing for decades with 2020 making quantum leap progress on the science behind vaccination.
Although the Covid-19 vaccines have been developed at record speed, they have all met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness, which is thoroughly inspected by the Independent Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Currently, both the Pfizer and Astra Zeneca vaccines are being used in the UK, with more than 27 million adults already having received the first dose of either vaccine. We both had the Astra Zeneca and neither of us has had any side effects.
Getting vaccinated feels like a step closer to freedom.
The question now is: Will vaccination mean a return to normality?
According to scientists achieving “herd immunity” might be harder than we think, due to issues such as vaccination hesitance, new emerging variants, and the fact that we don’t yet have a vaccine approved for children.
It is also still unclear whether people that have been vaccinated can still become infected by the coronavirus and then transmit the disease to others. Also to achieve herd immunity on a global scale is no easy feat. The vaccine is not “bulletproof” and at present, there is not enough data to know how long will vaccination immunity last.
There is a possibility that Covid-19 could become an endemic disease, with a need for top-up/booster doses of the vaccine been needed on an annual basis.
Therefore a return to normality is not going to happen anytime soon, continuing with self-protecting behaviours and social distancing efforts might still be with us for a very long time yet. Meaning that we will continue to learn ways of how to live with this virus.
Currently here in England, we are still in lockdown and have been since January 4th 2021. The British Prime Minister Mr Boris Jonhson has already set out a “road map” plan out of lockdown, although he did stress that the government will be following the data and not the dates. Meaning that the plan is not set in stone.
Step One– March 29th
- Stay at home rules are lifted, up to 6 people can meet outdoors, outdoor sports can return.
Step Two – April 12th
- Non-essential shops can open, also hairdressers and outdoor eating areas can open and serve food/drinks.
Step Three – May 17th
- Social contact rules for outdoor pursuits are lifted and also up to 6 people can meet indoors. Theatres and cinemas can also open, with Covid safety measures in place.
Step four– June 21st
- All social contact rules lifted.
What will travel be like in 2021?
Travellers confidence has taken quite a bash since last year and things are unlikely to change much for 2021. Even with a successful vaccine roll-out and countries opening their borders, travellers will have to take a few things into consideration before booking a foreign holiday.
Hotel quarantine and testing – The expense of hotel quarantine (here in England anyone arriving from countries on the “red list” has to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days at a cost of about £1,700) is not to be taken lightly and there are also all the costs involved with Covid-19 testing before and during the quarantine. So people will have to think hard about the risks involved in travelling abroad and facing the possibility that their holiday destination could end up on the “red list”.
Vaccination Passports and travel testing – In Europe there are a lot of talks going on regarding the possibility of a vaccination-passport. Certainly, many countries are likely to adopt this idea, and particularly airlines and cruising companies could all be embracing this trend.
Traffic Lights Approach – In October last year, the European Union adopted the “traffic lights” approach in the context of Covid-19. Countries were categorized as green, orange, red or grey depending on the level of COVID-19 virus infection. Since then at the end of January, a new dark red category has been introduced on the weekly published map, showing areas of high virus levels including the more infectious variants. The UK might be drawing up a similar plan here for international travelling.
Travel Corridors – Internation travel corridors were implemented in the UK in July 2020 making it easier to travel to and from countries where the risk of coronavirus infection was deemed to be at a low level. All UK current travel corridors have been suspended, due to the concern of importing any new virus variants into the country. But there is lobbying and pressure from the travel industry to reinstate travel corridors back this summer.
Single centre travelling – After such a stressful year, perhaps many people will like the idea of relaxing on a single centre holiday. A hotel or resort that would inspire confidence/safety (as far as Covid measures are concerned). The idea of staying in one place rather than a multi-centre or even a multi- border crossing type of holiday will be very appealing. Perhaps many people will also be booking a more upscale holiday package with spacious/self-catering accommodation.
Short-haul flights – Wearing a face mask/cover on a long haul flight will probably not be very appealing to most people, therefore short-haul flights are likely to take preference. People who can afford to will likely prefer to book their very own charter plane.
The wait and see approach – People will be looking for a window of opportunity to travel abroad, but many people will probably prefer to book last minute. Travellers will be keeping an eye out on what countries will be opening their borders, what will the requirements for entry be like, how safe it is as far as the rate of infection and vaccination progress. Therefore either last-minute booking or buying into a fully refundable package is likely to be a trend.
Self-driving – Nothing feels more adventurous than setting off on a lovely, long road trip and a flexible itinerary. Self-driving holidays have never been out of fashion, but it has certainly increased in popularity recently.
Self-driving holidays will be even more popular.
Camping and/or glamping – With road trips becoming even more desirable, having self-contained accommodation where one can combine the love of the outdoors with minimizing contact with other travellers could suddenly appeal to a lot more people.
Cruising – The cruise industry has really been hit hard. We live very near the port of Southampton, where many cruise lines have been in hibernation losing an obscene amount of money. We also have a couple of large cruise ships that have been anchored not far from the Bournemouth Pier, since last year. The cruise industry will have to work hard to gain back trust and attract people back on board. They are planning to set sail again in the summer, with some cruise lines setting sail from Southampton and cruising around the UK.
The rise of RV travelling – Camper-van travelling is fast becoming ever more popular. For us, just like for many other motorhomes/RV travellers it will be the way to go. The flexibility of setting your own pace, combined with total self-sufficiency of cooking, showering and sleeping in your own home-on-wheels will be very appealing. Often the locations that you can stay, totally off-grid, make it absolutely idyllic.
Nothing like having a home-on-wheels for some self-isolation.
Staying overnight by a beautiful Norwegian Fjord is the stuff of dreams (especially for husbands who love to fish).
The great outdoors – Many people will be seeking out more out-door adventures, enjoying remote places and the countryside.
Outdoor activities will be more popular than ever.
Environmental awareness– Concerns regarding the environment has grown even more during the pandemic. There is definitely an appetite for more eco-friendly pursuits such as hiking and cycling trips and eco-friendly places to stay.
We have already done a lot of fantastic hiking and in 2021 we are planning to continue with this trend.
Staycation – Either for economic reasons or fears regarding the virus, many people will be opting to stay closer to home. We have certainly all found a new appreciation for the beauty on our doorstep.
Living somewhere beautiful helps with choosing a staycation.
Wellness Holidays – We all love a bit of pampering and even more so now after having spent months stuck at home. There is also more awareness about mental health issues and taking good care of one’s well-being. Therefore Spa breaks in places that feel Covid safe and holidays that provide self-growth, such as learning a new skill like cooking classes, photography, painting, etc. could certainly be very appealing.
We loved this cooking class in Cambodia. Although in current times, a bit more social distance will be required.
Remote location stays – Nothing beats being off-the-beaten-track for a good dose of “self-isolating”. In 2019 we toured Norway for almost 3 months and stayed a few weeks above the Arctic Circle in some truly unforgettable places.
Above the Arctic Circle, Lofoten Islands in Norway.
Although unfortunately, Norway will not be in our plans for the near future, it would certainly be a perfect destination for a motorhome or any type of road travelling when borders open up.
Camping or glamping – We have done a lot of camping in the past and even some occasional glamping. It is not for everyone, but it could suddenly appeal to a lot more people.
Our glamping pod near Cheddar Gorge, a few years ago.
Our own travel plans for 2021
We have booked a few sites in Cornwall for our motorhome travels during the whole month of May/2021. Cornwall, in the South of England, is such a beautiful county and we are looking forward to exploring it at a very slow pace. It is likely that our daughter might be joining us for some of the time. Our friends and fellow motorhome travellers Mark and Marion will also be joining us for a week (with their motorhome). Fingers crossed for good weather.
We should be back at home in early June for the second dose of our vaccine, but we will be planning more travelling once that is out of the way.
We will also be adopting a “wait and see” approach for international travelling later on in the year. Likely to be somewhere in Europe, possibly by motorhome, or it might be something completely different, but only time will tell what will be possible.
It is clear that we will all have to get used to the idea that “normality” is not possible for the time being and we all have to adjust to the “new-normal” whatever that means. Getting vaccinated feels like a civic duty, rather than an option, since until we are all vaccinated normality will not be possible. There are people who have genuine health reasons for not being able to have the vaccine and we need to make sure that by getting vaccinated ourselves we can protect these people.
The whole world is at war against a coronavirus pandemic, and we are all required to play our part in fighting this invisible enemy. Doing nothing and waiting for others to do the right thing on your behalf is not the right option in my mind. The simple everyday measures of maintaining social distance, wearing a face mask/covering, washing hands will continue to be important. But vaccination is the only way out.
Sorry ladies, but can we keep a social distance?
Countries have to work together to ensure that everyone has access to a vaccine program. For a true return to normality, vaccination has to be a global effort and until everyone is safe, no one is truly safe.
What a thoughtful and well-written piece Gilda. Can only accord with all the views you’ve expressed here. Lovely photos too.
Tis a strange world right now to be sure – but one that still beckons to be explored, as and when it becomes safe and feasible to do so.
And in that we can all play our part. Remembering always to ‘be kind’, and aware, and generous in spirit.
A new world beckons……
For now, exploring our lovely home country is the way to go, and Mark and I are really looking forward to joining you and Brian in May in Cornwall.
Freedom of the roads, the beautiful UK countryside and socialising with good friends and family again will be so worth the wait..!
See you soon 🙋♀️ 🙋♂️
Marion, thank you 🙂 we are living through such strange times and the lockdown has been hard for everyone. Particularly hard for people who have lost loved ones. But the end of lockdown is not far now and with the vaccination program going so well, perhaps we will have some of our freedoms back soon. It will be particularly lovely to get to see loved ones again and also being able to travel…even if just to explore near home. The UK is beautiful and there are lots of places that we have never visited before.
We are really looking forward to meeting up with you guys in Cornwall, it is going to be great 🙂
‘Wait and See’ is a good mantra to adopt. I don’t believe life will ever be the same again. We have a global pandemic that requires a global solution. Our world leaders are incapable of leaving politics and GDP growth aside to work together. But there is an opportunity for us to learn patience, live more meaningful lives and try to find our purpose in all of this. These are the things that can also contribute to richer life experiences and inner well being.
Val, life will not be returning to normal anytime soon. The coronavirus pandemic is a huge global problem, therefore it will require a lot of cooperation between nations. Unfortunately politics and big egos can get on the way of solving the biggest crisis of our generation. As always the poor will suffer the most. Mass vaccination is the only way out, but the logistics behind that are very difficult, so it is going to take time.
The lockdown has certainly made many people re-assess their lives and how it is possible to live a better, more fulfilled lifestyle.
yeah its going to be a nervous few months all over the world for travellers as we hope that things improve and the vaccines develop some sort of immunity which might let us travel internationally again. and even then it will be with a level of uncertainty. great news for you i will be having my first jab in april or may I suspect here. there is a lot of misinformation out there and many people are hesitant to say the least. if we can get to something like 70% we’ll be doing well as a planet but that is going to be hard to do especially within a year or so. fingers crossed
Andy, the road ahead is going to be bumpy, for sure. It is likely to take years rather than months for things to improve. So many countries in Europe, for example are currently experiencing a third wave of infections. My home country of Brazil is in total chaos, with a very high Covid-19 mortality rate, a struggling health system and a government without a way out plan. It is sad that so many countries don’t have enough vaccines and the poor will suffer the most.
Here in the UK things are improving and the vaccination campaign is going well, but only time will tell if the improvements will be long lasting…fingers crossed.
Gilda thank you for such a thorough post on the topic of the vaccine and recent updates re travel during the pandemic as time moves on. Even though the topic is always around, you did a really nice job at spelling out how pandemic solutions are rolling through the system.
I realize that vaccines have in some parts become a polemical topic but my comments here don’t come from that place. I have no strong feeling one way or the other about vaccines in general, but even in your post, you point out quite rightly that we are still in the early days with the vaccines. We don’t know if they block one from getting and transmitting Covid. We don’t believe currently that the vaccine will do anything against the multiple variants that are emerging and being predicted to become the dominant strain in some countries. That is enough to warrant some people from having second thoughts about the automaticity of taking the vaccine if offered.
Fully understand where you are coming from in terms of framing being vaccinated as a civic duty but I still have red lights flashing at the large amount of unknown around the vaccine, its effectiveness vis a vis new strains etc.
Yes, Covid is not going away and we are all going to have to find a way to live with the new normal of whatever reality we settle into. It will be interesting to see how society adapts.
Ben
Thank you Ben. There has been so much misinformation regarding the vaccines, that it is not hard to understand why people feel so unsure. The results of the large US trial regarding the Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccine have just been published and it is reassuring to hear that the trial has found the vaccine to be safe and effective. The vaccine was found to be 79% effective at stopping symptomatic Covid-19 disease and 100% effective at preventing people from falling seriously ill.
Also they did not find any safety issues regarding blood clots, therefore a great big success for a vaccine that is being provided on a “non-profit” basis. Here in the UK almost 30 million people have been vaccinated and millions also in the US.
I feel privileged to have been given my first dose already, particularly when in my home country there are over two thousand people dying from Covid-19 every day at the moment. Unfortunately there are not enough vaccines to solve the problem. Hospitals are overwhelmed and there is a real lack of leadership to get Brazil out of this mess.
Many countries in Europe are also struggling and with high infection rates, there is also a higher risk of new variants appearing.
Yes, society will have to adapt and learn to live with the virus for a very long time.
We seem to be in a similar place Gilda: for our part, we won’t make any plans or commit to any bookings abroad until after we’ve received our second vaccine, which is the end of May. Having said that, as soon as our three weeks are up after that second dose, we will be straight into seeng where we can go, pretty much straight away. At this stage we’re still fairly confident about setting off again sometime in July. Also like you, we’ve booked UK trips between now and June: two trips to Cornwall and one Midlands-Wales-Peak District trip. One day we intend picking up where we left off on our world trip, but of course we have no idea when that might be possible. Here’s hoping. Enjoy Cornwall!
We are super lucky to live in a country that got a good vaccination program going…at least something that this government has done right 🙂 it does feel reassuring to have had the first dose and like yourselves we are looking forward to having our freedom back. It is so unfortunately that so many parts of the world aren’t so lucky. My home country of Brazil, for example is not doing well at all. Our plan of visiting Brazil in 2021 will not go ahead.
Sounds like you have some really good travel plans in place for once lockdown is over. There are so many beautiful places here in the UK and perhaps going abroad will be possible in the summer…lets wait and see.
All this wait and see is kinda boring. I had my vaccination the end of January and things start happening in my body as a result. My weak points (previous injuries) hurt for a day each.
It sure will be nice to get back on the road again. Hopefully in the Basque Mountains again this summer.
Ted, I totally agree with you…the waiting game is so boring. Congratulations on getting your vaccine, so perhaps soon you will be able to explore the Basque Mountains again…fingers crossed. We would love to visit Spain again, we toured by motorhome back in 2019…such a beautiful country.
What a great writeup Gilda. Very thoughtful and thorough. I have adopted a wait and see attitude post getting vaccinated. We will definitely do more trips around Spain (where we left off) and do more around Italy (where we really left off… haha!. I still shiver at our narrow escape before lockdown). I think a lot of people forget that the vaccine was not developed in a year, but it’s something that has been ongoing and then modified.
Spain is really far behind other countries with the vaccination, even my sisters are all set to get theirs in Nigeria this week. When traveling to some countries, you need to be vaccinated against Yellow Fever for instance, this is just another one. I think l would be absolutely gutted if l couldn’t travel again like we did, but l can definitely wait a bit more. We are waiting for April 19 on our end to see what will happen. Great that you got the jab! :-).
Thank you Kemkem. I felt a great sense of gratitude and privilege receiving my first dose, I just wished more people who want to get the jab could be offered one. I don’t understand “vaccine hesitation” to be honest, but I think the media does not help with so much misinformation out there.
I am glad Nigeria is doing well and your sisters will be getting their vaccine soon. Unfortunately my home country of Brazil is not doing well at all and I really worry about my family. But at least my father, who is 81 has had his first dose.
I am all for some sort of Vaccine Passport and like you mentioned it is no different than having to have a Yellow Fever jab. I think many countries will be implementing that. Countries that get the virus under control will not be welcoming potential new variants getting in. So it is only right that measures to avoid that will need to be implemented.
I hope you can resume your travels in Spain and also Italy very soon 🙂
Great post Gilda! Very thorough and we agree with you. We are in a wait and see mode for long distance travel except to see family in the states. At this point here in Colombia we are in the second group waiting to get out jab. The problem here is there is not enough vaccine. If we don’t have our first shot by mid April we plan to go to the states to get them.Fingers crossed at this point! Cheers!
John and Susan, the vaccine shortage is a real problem. So many counties don’t have enough and until things improve we will all continue to be at risk. I hope that you will get yours very soon and that you can go and visit your family in the US. Sounds like the vaccination program is going well in the US? I read today about the large trial that has just been published about the Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccine…such good news that it has been found to be safe and highly effective.
You really summarized travel in our covid times, Gilda. I think you are wise to travel domestically for now, and take a wait-and-see approach to international trips later on. Hopefully, the world will be a much safer and healthier place in 2022.
Thank you Joe. Can you believe that currently travelling internationally is even against the law here in England?…at least for the time being. Fines of up to £5,000 for people who disregard the ban on international travel. We are not sure when this ban will be lifted, but in any case as I have mentioned above we will be travelling by motorhome here in the South of England. I do hope 2022 will be better…fingers crossed.
I hadn’t heard about the ban, Gilda. Although this is shocking, it might be what we need to do to defeat this thing so we can get back at it in 2022.
yes, I think it is probably for the best. There are always people who flout the rules, therefore penalties have to be tough.
Gilda your post really makes one reflect on what the future of travel will be like in the years ahead. Here Canada remains with borders closed to non essential travel and 14 days of quarantine, the first few being in a hotel.
We are definitely on the wait and see road ourselves. We have had the first dose of Astra Zeneca and very grateful for it. Our priority will be to see my Mom in the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan. My brother is in the US so if we have any international travel that is likely going to be the destination. For now we will continue to explore close to home. Grateful to live in the backyard of one of the most desired destinations in the world.
Thank you Sue 🙂 Like yourselves we are also prioritizing seeing family. Brian’s mum will come and spend 3 weeks with us here in June…fingers crossed. She lives is Scotland and at 90 years old still loves travelling, we can’t wait to have her here and spoil her lots. Our daughter lives two hours away from us, so we plan to see her soon. Our son is currently living in Rio (he has an expat job there), so I don’t expect we will see him for a while. Also my dad and Brazilian family in the South of Brazil we don’t expect to see for a while.
I am glad you guys also got your vaccine, perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Thanks for this in-depth article about Covid updates and travel possibilities in the UK and Europe, Gilda. Like in Belgium, there is actually a plan in your country. It’s so weird that we have none of that in the US or even in the separate states.
While Mark and I have been very careful and considerate – wearing masks, washing hands, social distance – we do feel like we’ve had a bit of freedom compared to others, because we live in our camper van. Our two months overland in Mexico, for example, was quite special. Time will tell what will be possible in the future, but I think you are right that a grand new adventure abroad might have to wait at least another year…
Liesbet, we have been very lucky here in the UK with the vaccination program doing so well. On Monday some of the lockdown rules have started being relaxed, although only for outdoors activities. My home country of Brazil, unfortunately is not doing so well, with almost 4000 deaths yesterday, it is desperately sad. I am glad you and Mark have been able to travel and spend such a lovely time in Mexico. Having your campervan is a great advantage, giving you a lot more freedom to roam and keep away from people. We are doing a tour around Cornwall in May, but we are not making any plans for international travelling at this stage, perhaps later in the year or more likely to be next year.
Great you received your first dose. I may be counting wrong but it seems you have a long period between dose 1 and 2. We had 3 weeks between ours. No one knows for certain what will happen with the vaccine, how safe we will be, but there was never a question in our minds about getting it, regardless of what the variants may bring about.
Here in the divided states of America, like everything else, vaccines are yet another example of the great political divide and there will be millions who will refuse the vaccine, which makes for an even stronger case for getting the vaccine, in my opinion.
President Biden has done an incredible job of picking up the reins and getting the vaccine distributed and available for anyone who wants it. I think by the end of May, anyone who wants to be vaccinated (in the US) will be and I see that as a HUGE positive. I can’t even fathom where we’d be if Biden had not won the election.
Looking forward to following your May adventures.
Patti, we will have our second dose of the vaccine in early June (12 weeks after our first dose). Like yourself, although there are many unknowns we rather have the vaccine than not have it. Here in the UK, the vaccine program is going well, with about 32 million people already having had the first dose. The government is keen for every adult to have been offered a first dose of the vaccine by July/2021.
We do have many people who are hesitant to get the jab here in the UK also, often because of misinformation and lack of understanding. I think it is important to get local leaders and people with local and religious influence involved, for ethnic minorities for example it is important that they get good, reliable information. Written material in a language that people can understand.
I think that President Biden is doing a fantastic job, so refreshing to have an “adult” in the White House. I am glad you and Abbi both had your vaccines and that life can start getting back to some sort of normality, although we will have to learn to live with this virus for many years to come.