While a British health minister insists that “we’ve been straight with people”, we could perhaps do with a bit more straightness here in Mallorca where the vaccination programme is specifically concerned. Unlike Matt Hancock and the various fires that he has to fight, these having been lit by the revenge-seeking Cummings, Covid porkies in Majorca have really only surfaced because the odd public figure has been found out. “No, I wasn’t vaccinated early doors.” “Er, well, I was actually.”
Porkies no, but unrealised expectations yes; and also yes when it comes to the explanations as to why the Balearics lag behind other regions in terms of the rapidity of the programme. One guesses that Brussels and the vaccine producers can always be blamed, and will be, but where oh where are the 200,000 jabs per week that were once spoken of? If we’re lucky, half this number will begin to be delivered next month.
As to why the Balearics have always been off the vaccination pace by comparison with other regions of Spain, the explanations have centred on the age of the population. In overall terms, it is younger than other regions; hence, the programme would be a tad slower to begin with because of the distribution to regions with older populations.
If this was genuinely the case in, say, February or March, why are the Balearics still towards the back of the queue? Should there not now be a speeding-up relative to other regions? Some straight talk, please.