By Seuamuli Desmond Bentin
Melissa had her second Covid -19 shot last Thursday. I had mine on the 4th of September. That’s right my friend, we are fully vaccinated and willing to get a third, if recommended, and available free, like the first two.
We did not have to wait for the government or Auntie Cindy and that Bloomfield fella to tell us that the best way to beat the pandemic was to be vaccinated.
Melissa and I decided ages ago that once somebody built and tested a vaccine that worked, we would be in line to get that baby pumping through our circulatory and or lymphatic system making sure that the defenses are in place and capable of stopping Covid-19 and any of its variants from killing us.
I cannot speak for Melissa but personally, I don’t think I would like being dead!
We have a lot of family in Samoa who we feel duty bound to go and annoy, abuse, introduce to “too much happy”, convince that I am still alive, and many who are still friends because I haven’t borrowed from them yet!
But seriously buddy, when the borders open up and I come flying through that queue with my “Vaccinated” stamped passport, and you are having problems getting a boarding pass, it would really be a pointless discussion for me stop and suggest that you shouldn’t have listened to that guy with the bikie friends and dodgy agenda.
There is also a small matter, no pun intended, of a niece, 9 months old Camilla, in La Spezia, Italy, who we would really love to go and visit.
It’s a long way from Fagamalo to be stuck without any friends to borrow from, if for some reason, things changed, and my return ticket was deemed useless. Like my vouchers for Samoa Airways return tickets which my sister in Samoa has told me to “kiss goodbye” to.
I’m getting sidetracked all over the place here but what is the story with Samoa Airways? When Covid closed the borders between Samoa and the world, I received vouchers for cancelled flights which were supposed to be good until December this year. I could also have them extended if the borders were still closed.
Now rumor is that rumors do see fires where smoke has yet to be. Haven’t got a bloody clue what that meant but what if any is the official rumor on the future of Samoa Airways?
Whatever it is, whatshisname across the ditch has made the first move that I am very sure Aotearoa would follow once we had the vaccinated rate up to 90%, and Melissa and I would be sincerely sorry that you did not get vaccinated when you had the opportunity, as we board whatever plane will fly us to Faleolo for a long overdue catchup with family. And friends.
90% of the population getting vaccinated before Christmas is achievable really if we all just ignored the bollix about lockdowns being the abuse of personal freedom and concentrated on how soon the lockdowns would be removed if you got vaccinated, and free to travel to visit family anywhere in the world.
Samoa would do me mate.