Jul 21, 2022 14:27
If you are over 60...do NOT travel abroad alone until this Covid nonsense is completely over. What's happened to me:
1. The second dose of my Covid vaccine was not updated on my Cowin app for several months. (Murphy's Law, 1.) I chased it up and the date finally given was 25 Feb 22 . This was not the date I got the second dose on, but since the updating was finally done, I didn't have the energy to fight any more (I fought for about 6 months to get the info on my Cowin page!) I left it at that, thinking it could not make any difference. (Murphy's Law, 2)
2. After buying my tickets and getting my visa (another labyrinthine process that counts for Murphy's Law, 3) I found that Malaysia Covid rules say that since I am over 60, unless I have had the booster dose as well as the two regular doses, I am considered "partially vaccinated" and I hhave to undergo an RT-PCR test , and/or be quarantined for 5 days (which would be a total waste of the journey for me.) There is no clarity on what will happen (Murphy's Law ,4)
3. Yesterday, I went to Jayangar Govt Hospital where, after 1.5 hours of running around, I learned that they do RT PCR only for legal cases! (Murphy's Law, 5) . I then went to Jayadeva Hospital and got it done, the whole thing taking up half the day. The RT PCR test result is, of course, negative. I am carrying the SMS/email of this negative result with me (it will not reflect in my Cowin app) to try and convince the officials at the point of my arrival that I am, indeed, Covid-free (I have never had Covid.)
4. To be on the safe side, I decided to take the booster shot as well, and carry the physical card with me on the journey, even if my Cowin app is not updated. My attempts at Fortis and Apollo on Tuesday and Wednesday were not fruitful. Fortis would give me an appointment only a few days later, and the vaccine was not viable at Apollo that day (Murphy's Law, 6 and 7.) Today, at the J P Nagar Primary Health Clinic, the doctors told me that unless 6 months have elapsed since my second dose, it will not be updated in my Cowin app and therefore, I cannot have it. I begged and pleaded and finally got a letter to the effect that according to Indian guidelines, I cannot have the booster dose (it's 5 months since the date given on my Covid app, but no, rules are nothing if not inflexible!). I will be carrying that also along with me. (Murphy's Law,8).
My next post may be from some quarantine hospital in Kuala Lumpur....and I am changing my name to Deepa Murphy.
Which reminds me of Murphy's Law, 9...my name on the MySejahtera app (Malaysia) is..Deepalakshmi Mihan! The site tells me, "there is no provision to correct your name". I have written to the helpdesk, and received a reply that "the issue has been resolved".Oh, no, my surname is still Mihan on the app!
Covid is killing me without my ever contracting the illness!
difficulties,
travel,
health,
stupidity,
rules