Mark Brown spoke with Monica during a pop-up vaccination session in New Cross Gate, London.
TRANSCRIPT
MB: This is Mark Brown for Lewisham Vaccination Stories in a very rainy, very noisy vaccination outreach in Besson Street Community Gardens. I’m here with…
MC: Monica Crowe.
MB: Monica, you’ve had your vaccination. How was it?
MC: I was quite relieved to get it, actually, because I’m a key worker. I’m a primary school teacher. So, I’ve been back at work, well, for most of this year, apart from when we had the lockdown.
So, I was quite keen to get some sense of protection being in school, because I’m surrounded by children all day basically, and although we have social distancing rules, we can’t really do all the social distancing with little people moving around the place. So, I was quite relieved to get it.
MB: So, before you had your vaccine, was there anything you were worried about?
MC: I was a bit worried because the stories about the blood clots were coming out at that point, and I had the AstraZeneca one. I was a bit concerned about that, but I kept following the news and realising the levels were so low, it was a bit insignificant and I was prepared to take the risk.
MB: So, this vaccination effort is a massive, massive thing. It’s a kind of historic thing. It’s never happened before in the same way. Once we finish the vaccination and everyone has their injection, everyone has their immunity, what is it you’re looking forward to getting back to?
MC: Oh gosh, I suppose I’m just looking forward to having the chance to meet many friends all at once, not be wary of people on the streets, you know, feeling more freedom walking around, because it’s created this quite hostile environment in a way, how things are, you know, just with strangers around, type thing. Being able to feel comfortable on a train or a bus. They’re things I try and avoid. So, I use a bicycle. Having the chance to have a good dance. Would you not agree?
MB: Yes, sure.
MC: To go and have a good dance somewhere, because I love dancing. So, I’m looking forward to being able to do that.
Male: Yes, we really need to have fun.
MB: I think having fun would be absolutely the best reason for having a vaccination. Thank you.