An interesting week - Third Wave and first vaccination

 by Diana Studer

- gardening for biodiversity

 in Cape Town, South Africa

 

It is my middlest sister's birthday today. My sister J and I went to Kirstenbosch on Monday. To admire the ginkgo turning gold. Discovered there is a tiny tree in the Conservatory, a second tree accompanying the one I went to see in the Fossil Garden, and a fourth above the Dell near Pearson's Grave (If you seek his monument, look around you). We needed a morning together to step out of time, to chat, to breathe, to be.

 

Ginkgo golden leaf

The Ungardener has rheumatoid arthritis. Thanks to two immune-suppressing drugs he can hike each week, instead of sitting in a wheelchair. We have been warned that South Africa was heading for the Third Wave. 60% of new surge cases are in Gauteng (Johannesburg area), but 10% are in our Western Cape. Scare stories about vaccine supplies made us nervous.

 

Ginkgo in the Fossil Garden
surrounded by bonsais

We are 'socially responsible older people'. About half of the over sixties have registered for vaccination. We waited, politely, for seven weeks to get an appointment. Nothing.

 

Discovery our medical aid insisted that we must register with them as well. Nothing again. What vaccines they have are being offered to captains of industry at their Sandton office.

 

Golden ginkgo leaf

Some of his hikers went for walkin vaccinations. We grumbled about queue jumpers. But on Tuesday we lost patience. Drove half an hour across the city to Mitchells Plain (never seen so many white people here before). Vaccination site is behind an electric fence at the Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital. The actual wards are redbrick cottages set among rolling lawns, built in the sixties perhaps.

 

Ginkgo gold against blue sky

They are using a community hall (why is it within the grounds of a psychiatric hospital??) But ideal for repurposing. Large hall, big doors open to the Cape's kind winter weather. A wide covered verandah to line up rows of socially distanced chairs for the queue. 15 vaccination stations so the queue moves smartly.

 

Golden ginkgo leaf

On Tuesday I was number 166 and it took us an hour, including the 15 minutes observation.

 

Ginkgo above the cycads in the Dell

Worried about my sister J who is 10 years older than me and lives 'alone' in a retirement home. On Thursday Cape Town was shrouded in dense fog, all day. We took her. Number 234. With loadshedding, so laptops were down and data recorded manually. An hour and a half for her.

 

Ginkgo with cycads

On Friday we took our friend S. In the afternoon. QE2 treatment. Straight in. NO queue at all. (And those two early mornings wipe me out!)

 

Golden ginkgo leaf

We will continue particularly carefully for two weeks till the antibodies kick in and we have 80% protection. Wear masks when we are with other (unvaccinated) people. Only 2% have been done. Still a million medical workers registered and waiting.

 

Hadeda keeping a wary eye on us

Hoping that my oldest sister B gets hers on Tuesday. Imagine. We could talk face to face. Without masks. Haven't seen her since before lockdown! UPDATE - my immediate over sixties circle is all done!

 

Hadeda with rosy iridescent shoulders

A golden ginkgo leaf lies by my laptop as a solace in interesting times. Next post will be books.

 

I invite you to join us at Elephant's Eye on False Bay. Please subscribe as you prefer

via Feedly,

or Bloglovin,

Email with Feedburner? - this option dies in July - please choose an alternative

or Facebook 

Pictures by Diana Studer

of Elephant's Eye on False Bay

 

Teal blue text is my links.

To read comments if you are in email or a Reader,

first click thru to the blog)

 

Thanks for comments that add value. Your comment will not appear until I've read it. No Google account? Use Anonymous, then please include a link to your own blog. I welcome comments on posts from the last 2 months.