Vilnius resident: on the attempt to vaccinate grandparents at the Antakalnis polyclinic: the challenges multiplied one after another

Tom shared his impressions in a letter sent to the Delfi portal:

“I want to share my impressions and provide guidance on what to expect and how to prepare if you have to transport a loved one to vaccinate against a coward.

I had to go through this whole procedure on Wednesday at 10:40 pm I got a scary call from the other half that the grandparents had just called and they are getting vaccinated today!

Not tomorrow, not tomorrow, but today. Kind, throw away all work, postpone plans, pick up, go get the car ready and wait for the second call when you’re already driving. And maybe with that said, about an hour to guide, something more specific? Do not! Just call me a second time today and say exactly.

Do not, OkayIronically, I still think I gave at least some time to prepare.

After an hour – 11:40. – Grandparents receive a second call. It is indicated that at 12:30 pm I need to be at the Central Antakalnis Polyclinic. After 50 minutes ??? !! Speaking on the phone, I think it is possible, but we will have to forget the speed limits and tripods: press the accelerator harder.

Around 12 pm I come to my grandparents in the courtyard. I’m going to the apartment. Damn grandpa open the door! What is this, bl * t?

The grandmother at the end of the hall yells that the grandfather started bleeding from the nose from the stress. Bloody face, hands – too. Grandpa is still trying to wipe the blood off a light jacket, but to no avail. I say there is no time to change, Grandpa obviously understands it even better.

Both grandparents are respectable at the age of over 90, which is why they both walk with walkers. I grab them and take them in the car.

I go back to my grandparents, he helps me land on one, then I go back to help the other and we meet outside. The car is parked 10 meters from the stairs, but it has to overcome an icy road. The grandmother seriously appreciates that it is not because of her strength. I drive on the car, I almost went down the stairs. I help one up, then reach out my friendly hand toward the other.

We organize ourselves, we sit in the car and we can drive to the Antakalnis polyclinic. I saw the clock – 12:20! Grandma’s blood begins to flow from his nose again, I realized that he saw the clock too. After a moment, Grandma asks how many hours. Grandpa is silent, I pretend I didn’t hear the question. I hear my grandmother whisper, “We won’t make it. We will be without a vaccine.”

While driving, I asked my grandparents, maybe they told me on the phone where to get to by car (I was expecting something like mobile points where everyone gets vaccinated). The grandfather assures that he will have to go to the polyclinic himself.

Oookay, a little worried about where to leave the car and where to stop, because there is a constant crowd at the Antakalnis polyclinic. As I drive, I still hope that maybe a lot is in store for those who come to get vaccinated.

I didn’t get a miracle. The line of cars stretched even on the main street. There is no possibility to enter the parking lot, there are no places and there are several people waiting in front of the barrier.

I look at the car jam, the clock, Grandpa, and grudgingly wait for the blood to come out of his nose for the third time. The nerves begin to beat in my head, because the situation is deplorable: there is nowhere to stop, I am standing in a traffic jam on the street, and even if there is nowhere to stop for a short time, I will not turn around to throw out two walkers, unfold them and help the grandparents out one by one.

An easy panic begins for all three: the grandparents are especially afraid that they will not get vaccinated because of the delay. You try to calm them down, but you no longer understand what to expect.

When you enter the nearest parking lot, there is nothing left but to block traffic and evict the grandparents. Drivers who see the situation wait patiently, but already audible signals are heard in the distance. I leave my grandparents on the sidewalk, go back to the car and … where to leave the car? In assessing the situation, there is nothing left but to park other cars, which most do, and rush to the clinic.

Aha, “flee”, with people over 90 who depend on walkers. We reached the stairs of the Antakalnis polyclinic. I understand from the faces of the grandparents that a considerable challenge awaits. I suggest walking to the edge of the building, where there is a handicap climb and a walker climb. The grandmother thinks that it will be too difficult (incapable).

We go up the stairs like this: I take the walker, I go down, I carry the grandmother behind my hand, we go up, then under the grandfather’s walker, then the grandfather and so we repeat twice.

We went into the polyclinic. A small row in the temperature measuring devices. We read with relief that the vaccines are on the ground floor. Great, there will be no stairs anymore.

We got to the queue at the end of the hall. I don’t understand if the grandparents should be here or not. I understand that we are late, but after all, everyone has a specific time allotted. I realize the need to queue. I suggest grandparents sit down, I’ll stand up, but ignore the offer. Grandma is worried about the jacket … As I stand in line, I try to understand what is here.

It turns out that all the grandparents who came for vaccination need to register: enter the personal identification code on the screen, confirm the data and wait until the brochure with the special number is printed. Sounds easy, but give that task to the elderly of honorable age and you will see what ranks are extended.

The representatives of this queue receive a questionnaire: in four or five places it is necessary to write the name, surname, how old, date, time to put the signatures to agree on the vaccination, know the possible consequences, etc. Also put the appropriate marks next to the questionnaire to see if you are sick or allergic, etc. The paperwork is small, but again the task is done by people of respectable age, so the shift is quite large.

It’s time for the vaccination, which is done in the office in an instant. As Grandma said, he couldn’t even feel anything. The grandparents are happy with the Pfizer vaccine and rest in nearby offices. All without exception are instructed to rest for 10 minutes. After vaccination, everyone is obviously calmer: they call their relatives and share their impressions.

After 10 minutes and seeing the good condition of my grandparents, I suggest getting up and going to the car. The grandmother, thinking about the stairs, offers to rest for a few more minutes.

Finally, the grandparents get dressed, climb into the walkers, and walk slowly toward the exit. I see that the queue at the machine where to enter the personal code is not reduced. Going towards the exit, which is separated from the entrance, I notice that the line to the polyclinic is already formed outside.

We approach the unfortunate stairs, we repeat the same procedure again: a walker, a grandfather, then a walker and another grandfather. I leave my grandparents on the sidewalk and rush to the end of the parking lot where I left the car. Glad I found you with healthy windows, unscrewed windshield wipers, and no waiting for other drivers. I get to my grandparents, block traffic again to sit them down and take them for a walk. The surrounding drivers wait patiently.

After the entire vaccination procedure, sitting in the car, my grandfather evaluated: “The vaccine itself is fine, but for the organization, you can boldly write a trio” (believe me, certainly not in a five-point system).

After all, a variety of thoughts arise, wondering if it wouldn’t be easier if an ambulance came home to people of respectable age. And what to do for those who do not come? And what if the grandparents said today that they do not have the opportunity to come, that they do not get vaccinated or simply postpone the date?

I don’t know how to proceed during the second vaccination. I thought for a moment that I would have to arrive earlier, but then I realize that it was not because of me that I was late.

It’s gratifying, at the very least, that there are specific days for the second shot – you’ll have to wait for a call, and you’ll probably be given 50 minutes to deliver your grandparents again.

The only thing I know is that during the second vaccination I will have to take a bigger car to accommodate the two grandparents, walk and call another person to help me, one to work as a driver and the other to accompany the grandparents to the clinic “.

We asked the representatives of the Antakalnis Polyclinic to comment on this whole situation.

Here is his answer, which was sent to the Delfi portal by Rūta Vanagienė, Communication Coordinator of the Antakalnis Polyclinic:

“We want to emphasize that the Antakalnis Polyclinic invites its patients to be vaccinated at least one day in advance. There may be cases where at the end of the day, when there are several doses of the vaccine left, the patient is asked to arrive on the same day, but these cases are really rare. We register patients for a specific time; this is how we intend to regulate the flow of patients. All arriving patients are assisted by nurses, registrars, Red Cross volunteers to fill out forms, referrals, etc. So far, we have vaccinated more than 7,500 people at the Antakalnis Polyclinic, and 1,200 of them have already received the second dose of the vaccine.

Regarding the aforementioned situation, we would like to explain that that day, patients were vaccinated at the Antakalnis Polyclinic, who are generally treated not at our institution, but at the Vilnius City Clinical Hospital Polyclinic (Calle Antakalnio 124). We vaccinated patients at this facility last week because VMKL’s outpatient clinics needed time to prepare for processes at their facility. However, we would like to emphasize that the registration process and patient information were taken care of by the institution mentioned above, the VMKL polyclinic, because the family doctors who work there are the ones who know their patients best. It is unfortunate that patients were invited at the last minute, although we had sent clear hours to the representatives of the Vilnius City Clinical Hospital in advance and patients had to be informed in advance when and where to arrive. Unfortunately, due to the gentle insecure invitation from patients, a queue has formed at the polyclinic. “