Mark Brown spoke to Ben during a pop-up vaccination session at the 2000 Community Action Centre in Deptford, London, in May 2021.
TRANSCRIPT
MB: This is Mark Brown for Lewisham Vaccination Stories, in a wonderful, warm Deptford garden at the 2000 Community Action Centre, and I’m here with…?
BK: Ben. Ben Khan.
MB: Ben, you just had your vaccination. What was it like?
BK: It just feels amazing getting one step closer to getting over the whole pandemic and getting back to a normal world, and yes, it feels great.
MB: Is this your first vaccination?
BK: Yes, this is my first dose.
MB: Were you worried, excited, scared? How did you feel before you came?
BK: I wasn’t nervous on the drive here, but as I walked in, I was a bit nervous. I’m not the best with injections so I was a bit nervous. Obviously, I was also a bit nervous months before about all the rumours on social media, etc. But I think we are in a good state right now and we are going to push through this, and I think it should be fine.
MB: How has the last year of this pandemic been for you?
BK: It has been tough. Obviously I’ve been at school, and online school has been much more different to in person, and it has been tough, but I feel like I have learned to cope with it. It has just helped me adapt and just try and learn new skills, and try and cope with things better, and try and basically improve my time management skills, etc.
MB: Yes, because it has been a weird kind of limbo, hasn’t it, just being at home all the time? What are you most looking forward to once we’ve finished all these vaccinations and everyone is safe? What are you most looking forward to getting back to?
BK: Just being able to spend more time with my family, friends, just going out to places, going abroad, going on holidays, just spending more time. I know we’ve spent a lot of time with our close family, but spending more time going to people’s houses, etc., just being able to go out, I guess, yes.
MB: Yes, it will be amazing to be able just to put your coat on, go out and go and see some people without being worried, yes?
BK: Yes, exactly, yes, which will be amazing. I feel like we are getting closer and closer. Hopefully by the end of this year, Christmastime, we can hopefully get to the end of this.
MB: Thank you, that was awesome.