On 30 December 1968, I was revaccinated in Sydney for smallpox. I needed proof to be able to leave the country, so the deed was entered into a yellow international certificate of vaccination to adhere to international sanitary regulations covering travel across the world.
On 21 June 1973 I was revaccinated in Vienna, and on 22 June 1977 at the UN Geneva.
In 1980, the World Health Assembly declared smallpox eradicated (eliminated), and no cases of naturally occurring smallpox have happened since.
(source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox)
Before leaving Australia, I was vaccinated for cholera, and when living in Geneva and working for a UN specialized agency and sent on mission to African and South American countries, further vaccinations were given for cholera, yellow fever; you name it, I took it.
These were all required vaccinations. Required if I wanted to travel. It was the employer´s responsibility to see that I was protected on mission.
There were no YouTube gurus then. There wasn´t even YouTube.
In Vienna, I had regular flu shots and in our 2020 Australia lockdown, due to my age, I received a pneumococcus jab.
Due to my health risk status, I received my second Pfizer jab in Vienna in May 2021.
I cannot understand the fuss some people are making about vaccination – to have or have not – and vaccination passports. I´m amazed at how caring people in one part of their lives have complete disregard for others who may not be able to be vaccinated.
And what about pets?
To my vaccine-hesitant friends – it´s really not just about you.
In the hope of a happy end, I´ll leave you, as always, with onwards!
Indeed. I have a dear friend who told me she didn’t want to get vaccinated. I worry about her, but she has asked me not to mention anything to do with the virus, so I’m doing it here. So sad.
Yes – happy memories of travels, and always we’d check to see which vaccinations were required beforehand, and just have them… kids included.