The will to travel

My emails have been swamped lately. Airline companies have been cancelling our scheduled trips for this year. No reason has been stated; I assume it is just some mix-up with the airlines these days. You know how they manage to lure people into booking trips at a huge discount but they are not really sure if travel will be allowed. I miss flying on an airplane. It has been more than a year since I set foot on that tube that would lead me to the aircraft. The last time was the trip back from Singapore in February last year, just when the virus was just about to make its way into our lives.

Recently, the Interagency Task Force announced that fully-vaccinated individuals may now travel domestically with no undergoing the RT-PCR test. They only have to show their vaccination card to prove that they have been jabbed twice. This gets me excited as I am scheduled for my second dose two weeks from now, but on the downside, that would be only me. My husband and my family do not fall into any of the priority groups and have to wait for their turn when the LGU announces for them.

I understand that the call to increase domestic travel is for the sake of the economy but at an angle it also defeats its purpose. With the government classifying priority groups yet still reporting low turnout of vaccination, their program is starting to look like it is moot and academic. What do we do if those that fall into these groups don't really want to get vaccinated? Do we really force them into chairs to have an ounce of that liquid gold in their veins? A lot of people are patiently waiting and eager to have their shot as well. They have just not been called by the local government unit or their respective companies.

Maybe it is time for the health department to rethink the way they are rolling out the vaccines. If they keep on whining about the low turnout then they should open the vaccination to everyone, especially now that the biggest priority (health workers) have already done their part. Let those who want to get their vaccine and are fit to do so have it. Instead of people waiting and looking for creative ways to get ahead, they should be more open about this. Even business establishments' ways of giving out discounts to those who are vaccinated is not that effective as a come-on. It could even affect their daily sales.

I guess my trips will have to be rebooked until next year. Unless those who are running the program would look into this lack then I guess we will be stuck with waiting for the rest of our friends and family to have their vaccines as well. If not this, then there should be haste. We cannot wait much longer in a world where everyone is just moving forward.