Different Slants

Seeing the World from a New Angle

Letters from Europe – Getting Vaccinated

Filed under: Travel — Rick at 6:32 am on Sunday, February 28, 2021

Listening to news from the US, I hear many stories of people struggling to get an appointment to receive the COVID vaccine. They speak of spending hours on websites or on the phone trying to determine if they are eligible, where the shots are being given, and if appointments are available. This seems to produce a lot of stress in some citizens.

In contrast, here in Portugal, people do not have to do anything. When it is their turn, they are contacted and given the time and place to go. Since everyone is enrolled in the national healthcare system, they can be prioritized and scheduled automatically then sent a text message at the appropriate time. No stress.

Europe is behind the US in it vaccine roll out programs. It did not spend the billions of dollars on advance orders of unproven drugs the US did and as a result did not get those drugs as quickly. Here in Portugal, we are still in phase one of the vaccine deployment. Phase one includes healthcare and essential workers, nursing homes, and people over 80. The over 80 caught my eye. Why not over 65 as in the US? I looked at the demographics of the two countries and was surprised to learn that the over 80 segment represents about 8% of the population here versus only about 3% in the US. This is due to Portugal having both a longer life expectancy and a lower birth rate than the US.

Be careful and get vaccinated when it is your turn.

My travel photos are at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rick-pic/

6 Comments »

Comment by Bob

March 1, 2021 @ 8:20 am

Dear Rick and Mary, good article. I received my 2nd shot on 2/23, but had to travel 70 miles round trip to get it. Nancy’s 2nd shot is 3/9, bioth from near where she lives west of Milwaukee. Overall, compared to the prior Monster, the vaccinations are rising steadily, and with the 3rd one by J&J, the increase along with the new mass of vaccinators should be geometric. Nothing like running a country with someone actually in charge. The mass of red state persons refusing to wear masks or get shots and surviving on conspiracy theories is a self-resolving situation. Sort of suicide by ignorance. Most N and are fine, but I am having the same respiratory issues you witnessed in Evora, which was a wonderful time for both of us. I wish you well and hope to speak with you soon. Shalom!

Comment by Anon

March 15, 2021 @ 5:53 pm

WHO is suiciding by ignorance???

https://www.mail.com/int/scitech/health/10620040-major-european-nations-suspend-use-astrazeneca-vac.html#.1258-stage-hero1-1

Too bad Portugal didn’t wake up sooner & get on this list of suspending countries!
And, will the U.S., before it approves this latest poison by BIG P/HARMA-TECHNOCRATS…(e.g. the GATES of Hell)!

Comment by Rick

March 16, 2021 @ 5:36 am

Well, Portugal has suspended use of this vaccine. Am I correct in assuming from your other comments that you would rather have the disease than the cure?

Comment by Anon

March 25, 2021 @ 10:12 pm

No, you are not correct in your assumption.
Between the either/or fallback of disease and cure, common sense, existing natural health modalities,using one’s intelligence to look at the underbelly of what has overtaken this world on multiple levels.

Go to:
mercola.com and start reading:

Start with (1st 2 entries found in mercola.com search window); 3rd might be or just net search title–

“Covid-19 ‘Vaccines’ are Gene Therapy”

(not only is this not a scientifically-proven virus– though it is “something concocted”, the so-called vaccine is RNA gene manipulation/experimentation and humanity is the guinea pig (most of us already submit to all this, being like sheep)!

“RFK, Jr. Opens ‘CIA Can if Worms’

(Yes, this is environmental lawyer & 10+ year educated in vaccines son of the late Robert F. Kennedy; this video interview interview is mostly him discussing CV, vaccination and only a little about cia intrigue; stay w.it and you will emerge all the wiser about what’s taking place in our world).

“Everybody Needs to Know This”
Edward Snowden

(We best start QUESTIONING this so-called ‘Reset’ of our world and reality)!

Comment by Rick

March 26, 2021 @ 1:41 am

Anon,

I looked at the mercola website. Please note on the first page it says:

“The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola,…”

Following the first article you suggested I read: “Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is being tested against a meningitis vaccine…”

However, in checking this information I saw on https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04516746, “he efficacy of 2 IM doses of AZD1222 compared to saline placebo…”

So I do not know what Dr. Mercola basis his opinions on but it appears it is not researching the literature. It may be related to the health products he sells.

Also, I should point out that mRNA therapy is very different from gene therapy. mRNA therapy does not alter a cell’s DNA.

-Rick

Comment by Anonymous

April 1, 2021 @ 8:01 pm

Rick,

Dr. Mercola is a bona-fide doctor schooled/degreed in conventional western medicine who for decades has treated patients
successfully before ‘seeing the light’ (of the the dark ends of a lot of conventional medicine– esp. the pharmaceutucal– trad, legalalized drug trade) and educating and educating/practicing and becoming a standard-bearer for mainly alternative and natural health and healing modalities. I saw his wall of diplomas, his certificates, his awards. I have tracked his career/website/articles for decades. You’ve read one or two items and pass judgment.
If I used gene & RNA in a mix, that is my error. You must have also read “fact-checked” at the top of his page (for which he has a large teamstaff). YOU don’t have “opinions” that accompany your knowledge??? I do– every human does, Rick. But, how he opinionates about the criminality of killing people with vaccines (check another site NVIC– where he recently was invited to speak along with hundreds of other professionall health experts (btw, including gene/DNA/RNA researchers!)– and you’ll get an earful about that subject) is his freedom to hold an opinion. But, his doctoring, advocating and other professional activity is based on education, on-going training AND years of experiece practising as a medical doctor, NOT opinion. In addition, for many years he has helped build a coalition of medical and other professionals who protest much of the current Medical ‘Industry’ practice– he hosts them on his website– knowledge AND stances (opinions).
To address the issue you bring up of “health products he sells”. So what? That’s his perogative on his site; and he’s not selling poison (like the real charlatans of BIG PHARMA)!

Don’t disparage a person’s character simply because you disagree or think you know better (your self-opinion) based on some cursory perusal of his website. And you didn’t mention the other link– of RFK, Jr. (maybe you didn’t tune in? Or already have an “informed opinion” of him too???

Again :”RFK,Jr. Opens up ‘CIA Can of Worms'”

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