How are you all dealing with coronavirus and the restrictions many of us have to live

I heard these cases through mass media news and I even saw with my own eyes how these empty syringes were administrated to elderly people. Some relatives who were present reported this fact.

To be honest, at this point in my life, I’m not strange when behaviours like that take place. Human being is able to do the most selfish acts.

I’m lately trying to avoid news about the pandemic.
Again, I’m feeling depressed and I know that focussing on the news doesn’t help me a bit.
But still I know Spain is not on a third wave but the fourth one. We took the leads. Around 150 people deceased each day. Puff!
I have been thinking how much I want to travel to Venezuela to see my mother-in-law. She’s getting really old and I want to see her but I don’t know when I’m gonna be able to go there. This pandemic is already lasting so much.
No way I can get the shot soon, so I don’t expect to travel overseas short-term. I’m pretty disappointed.

@rechu, I don’t blame you for not wanting to take Sinovac vaccine. I have been reading your posts and something is fishy since contagious keep rising there.

I understand that here with the Spring arrival, contagious increased since we are going slowly in vaccinating people but there, something is not working. Hope you soon receive the other vaccines.

If you saw them administering empty syringes, I hope you reported it to someone immediately. Personally I wasn’t able to see if syringes were empty or full because of how they looked (they are small and narrow and it wasn’t visible what’s inside) and 6 ft distance makes it impossible to see, but if you were able to actually see they were empty, I hope you involved government authorities and law enforcement so they can investigate such crimes

I would report that fact if I have seen here. I saw it on TV and it happened overseas so I’m not a witness. I only saw how it was reported in social media and I saw the recordings and the news report.

I understand where you are coming from. It’s better to take all news with a grain of salt. I do understand you, don’t have any doubt of it.
I’m not ready to believe whatever but it was broadcasted here, in Spanish TV news. I wonder who recorded it. The relative who accompanied the person who was gonna be vaccinated. I saw how they introduced the empty syringe and pull it out.

Divine, I can’t believe my eyes anymore but there were news here at the beginning of the pandemic of nurses who stole and made business selling masks when we cannot find them here, anywhere.

I’m aware of there are fake news and that we have to take any information with a grain of salt, but I’m a person who had to pay for favours to come back to Spain when we lost the plane in Caracas airport. I know how in some countries with a low salary, people have to complete their incomes as however.

If I saw my aunty or my mother being administrated an empty syringe, don’t have any doubt that I report it. I’m a warrior. With social anxiety, but I’m a warrior lol

@AzulOscuro I get depressed about not being able to travel either. Before COVID started, in the last 2 years or so we hadn't been able to travel as much as we used to because we bought a house. Now, we have plenty of money to travel since I am making more than at my last job, but we can't.


I got into a bit of an argument with a friend from Brazil who doesn't understand my opposition to Sinovac. He said that in Brazil there have been no reports of people with at least one Sinovac dose ending up in the ICU so it must be working. First of all, just because it's not being reported, doesn't mean it's not happening. Then, who knows if they are even keeping track of those things? We've had reports here of two people with both doses get very sick and one died. Maybe the second dose hadn't had its full effect, but you would think they would have some protection.

I also told him that if the virus circulates here, even if the ICUs are not so stressed, our government will likely use it as an excuse to lock us down to prevent protesting. And, if the virus is still around because the vaccine doesn't help with transmission, as many experts are saying, then I think new variants are more likely. We could have our own Chilean variant. In the end, I want a vaccine that does more than just keep us out of the ICU so we can try and regain some sense of normalcy.


We are at the highest numbers of new cases and hospitalizations ever. 8,028 new cases announced today. We just recently passed over 1 million total cases. I think Spain is in that club too, isn't it? 2,867 people are in the ICU. There are only 199 available beds. 2,460 are on ventilators. Fun times, aren't they? People have started to call the vaccine Suerovac not Sinovac. Suero is saline solution.

Someone made a video imitating the Health Minister and the way he thanks everyone. So, in today's press conference, he thanked the person who made the video!

I think their reputation has taken a big hit. It's this, and the failure to deliver the agreed amount of vaccine. And also the more severe "mild" side effects compared to the other ones. Like people having to take a day off work due to fever/fatigue etc. Which is a problem when the younger people getting the vaccine are mostly health care workers - already overworked teams can't really afford to have people calling in sick.

This weekend is tough. It's too long. I originally had 2 days off for a concert. Of course that has been cancelled so I cancelled my days off because 6 days in a row off work would have felt too isolating. Even though at the same time I also really need the rest from work. I'm focusing on work to not think about the things I miss but the focus on work is stressing me out. I don't really know how to handle this anymore. Coping strategies are not nearly enough.

New tasks at work have kept me distracted from feeling too bad about the lockdown situation but now I have 4 days off it's hitting hard again. I miss concerts so much. Spending my days watching live gigs in Youtube is probably not the smartest thing to do.

Are other countries finding there are more side effects with the AZ? Nearly everyone I know who had the AZ felt unwell. Less so with the Pfizer.

I wish I knew, @Discombobulated. We'll probably see AstraZeneca in 2022 the way things are going! My brother is in the UK, so it sounds like he will get it soon.


I feel like I am hitting a brick wall again. The whole situation with the Sinovac vaccine is causing me so much anxiety. Some days I try to convince myself that I should just get it, maybe it will help somewhat. But I can't get over this strong feeling that I don't want it. I almost think it may have to do with the fact that I have so little agency in my life right now. The government clown show controls when I can leave my house and now what I am allowed to buy? The border closure, well it was necessary, but they waited way too long for it to have much of an impact. I can't even leave the country and makes me feel claustrophobic. I guess this is one thing I can control. I can refuse to be part of the government propaganda campaign of smiling people showing off their Sinovac vaccination cards.

The Health Ministry are dishonest about efficacy. They say people are immunized, which isn't true. Sadly if you read comments on social media and news articles, people are believing it. They get the impression that they don't need to be careful after being vaccinated even though they can still get infected and infect other people.

Today, I had to go to the library to pick up some holds. On my way in, a guy was coming out of the library. As has become my custom I tried to get out of the way, to maintain distance. We both had masks on, so I shouldn't really have needed to do that, but it's my habit and this is one of my first trips back "into the wild." He started shaking his head, like I was some sort of weirdo. I felt a combination of embarrassment and intense anger. While I understand the implications of the various recommendations and mask wearing and whatnot, this has just become my way of dealing with people who are too close to me. Mostly, because I seem to be one of the few who understands social distance. I'm not phobic about it, it's just automatic now. I'm better and calmer now, but wow, did I want to go off. I don't know that I'll be getting anything more from the library for a very long while though. Electronic offerings are plentiful.

@rechu that makes perfect sense to me that you are reacting against this lack of agency in your life. Absolute sense.

Over here I think many reactions have happened as a result of restrictions this last year. Even mask refusniks and anti lockdown protesters were reacting I believe even though I do not share their views. It's affected us all in different ways.

The vaccine is your choice. If you refuse how long do you envisage you may have to wait for another type to be offered?

To me his reaction was plain rude and disrespectful. Keeping distance is as much respect as anything.

I can understand you feeling angry, he was rude to you and there was no need. Hope you'll not be put off getting out and about because of this oaf.

I was at a local drug store in line to purchase an item and I felt someone in my personal space. I turned around and I was virtually nose to nose with a lady not wearing a mask. I’ve been vaccinated but I was irritated at the sheer ignorance of that woman and the defiance on her face. I moved as far away as the counter would allow me, purchased my item and left. I wonder about the behavior of some people during this pandemic.

Well, I guess my agonizing over the vaccine can be put off for a bit. The vaccine locations are running out of stock. It's being reported that they had to stop vaccinations in some areas completely. My municipality announced they are only doing second doses for the moment, so who knows when I will be eligible anyways. Of course people are crowding in at these places, yelling at staff. It looks like a perfect COVID transmission situation. Most footage is of more "rough" areas of Santiago, I guess you could say. Maybe things are a bit calmer out here. But, it just put me off the whole idea of going even more. It will be vigilant with self care and keeping an eye on the vaccine deliveries for the time being.

Yesterday the Health Minister said there were no problems with stock. Now people in the areas with no stock are being told to try and find a place outside of their community to get it. That's just going to cause more controversy, and then you have the issue of more people on public transportation to do so.

@Discombobulated - I was reading the US should be able to start exporting vaccines in May. We have contracts with Pfizer for about 10 million and only about 500,000 have arrived. That's my biggest hope. Maybe in late May or early June. There is speculation that by July there might be enough stock to be able to go to a private clinic and purchase what you want. I haven't heard the latest information on the Johnson and Johnson vaccine negotiations. There's an order for I think 5 million AstraZeneca vaccines, but with what's going on in Europe, who knows what will happen with those. There's an order for 1.8 million of CanSino, but as is the case with Sinovac, there are no phase three studies so I don't have much trust in it. It was approved for emergency use, but they've shown they will approve anything here.

Today, since the pandemic began, I got on a bus for the first time. With all those problems with vaccines, I can’t stand why we relaxed the measures. People never ended up to get on the bus. I wonder why? When we still haven’t a certain security because vaccination is not going on at the rate we expected.
When I saw the bus driver picked up one person after another, I can’t believe it.

I think the masks give a false sense of security, because even when you wear a mask, you have to keep distance.

I didn’t see the moment to get off the bus, to be honest.

We took a quick trip to see the university our son will attend. We thought it was important to see it before committing to it sight unseen, and then his maybe hating it. We had to sleep in a hotel room. I was shocked the hotel did not take any covid safety measures at all! We did our best to keep washing hands and wearing our masks...but I’m sure we were exposed to plenty germs. Fingers crossed we don’t get sick. I hope the trip was worth it. He is happy with what he saw and is looking forward to attending in the fall.

Yes, it’s like the lottery. The virus is so extremely contagious that the measures in hotels and any space have to be very rigorous.

I used to enjoy staying in hotels before this but I too am wary of the risk.

I did a trial with a major hotel chain years ago for room attendant (cleaner!) they were given a maximum of 15 mins per room and this was a full change over between clients. I can't imagine they are any better now as time is money.

Think I'd be bringing my own cleaning equipment with me! Lol.

Hahahaha! Your own cleaning equipment? lol!

I refused to touch the tv remote! Lol. I was only touching knobs with my sleeve, I’d put my arm over my face in the elevators to cover up any air, and even hold my breath! I am very aware of the transfer of germs; like you touch a door, then your phone, then eventually your nose, for example. But, now the CDC is saying it’s more about airborne germs than surface germs. That’s a relief to me. If we managed to have done this trip and not get sick, then it is not incredibly easy to get sick...also, a relief to those of us with immense anxiety about it. BTW- We’ve had our first shot for the vaccine!

15 minutes per room?? I think I will bring my own cleaning supplies and bedding too! I had coffee in a coffee shop today. The only other time I have been in a restaurant type space indoors was last summer, meeting up with the same person. Seems like we've been kind of daring, buses, hotels, coffee shops!

This is what someone that also participates in a forum for expats here had to say that expresses so much what I am feeling. They just issued one study trying to figure out what sort of efficacy the Sinovac is having here and it did not seem very complete or well done at all. The findings were vague, apart form 54% efficacy. Anyways, his thoughts were:

"I think my bigger bone to pick here goes way beyond this one crappy study.

It is the complicity if the University of Chile, Ministry of Health, the government, The Colegio Médico (Medical Association) and the frigging media to carefully tiptoe around asking even mildly obvious questions about the Sinovac vaccine. Never mind any serious questions about the science.

This vaccine is over a year old, administered to millions of people around the world, and there is not one credible study anywhere? Really?

Even this group of scientists today that was calling on the government to publish daily case reports on who got what vaccine and how many of those people were contracting the virus, being hospitalized, etc (which I agree with), were, in their own passive aggressive Chilean cultural way, being super careful to not rock the boat."

Here we are told by the clown show government we all need to get the vaccine, blah blah, blah, but we are not getting the information we need to make an informed decision. And this government does nothing to inspire confidence. They just want people to go get their vaccines so they can pat themselves on the back for their successful vaccination campaign.

It was just mentioned in Forbes that the president and his family saw their net worth increase by US$300 million while small businesses are failing left and right due to the lockdowns and restrictions on what can be bought. They are getting almost no help. It's really sad.


The government is trying to clarify what can be sold and not and has backpedaled on some items, but stores are, not surprisingly, being very cautious. My husband went to the grocery store yesterday and they had blocked off items like hand and body cream. I guess there was a concern they could be considered cosmetics. It is so ridiculous. Of course, the government says, we should be able to handle it because it's only for 15 days, but they love extending these measures so it could be more.

Last night I hit a low point because my husband was trying to convince me to just go get Sinovac since they have stock again. He's worried about being called back to work and bringing it home and getting me sick. I just don't see him going back to work any time soon Even in November when cases were so much lower, they never went back. It turned into an argument and I got kind of upset. We almost never argue.


I had the idea to try and contact a pulmonologist I used to see where I lived to see if maybe he'd give me a certificate giving some reason to get Pfizer. Unfortunately, it would have to be by telemedicine and the clinic where he works doesn't let you choose a doctor for a telemedicine appointment. You get whoever they assign you. I don't think it would be too easy to convince someone I don't know at all. I can't find his e-mail either. I need to get creative with this, and soon.

So, yeah, I'm feeling like absolute crap today. Anxious, stressed and hopeless.

Nothing insightfull to add.... I'm just SO ready to start living again :/ but there's talk about a stricter lockdown *again* I can't do this much longer.

@rechu it's not surprising you and your husband both became frustrated with disagreement about how you should proceed with the vaccine. You both essentially want the same thing - you to be as safe as is possible, but have different ideas about how best to achieve that.

Neither of you are wrong and both of you have valid reasoning. It's a tough call. Add to that you're both so worn out with everything - hand cream cordoned off, really!

It's a tough call. Sending hugs to you.