It's a Thing

Today the most recent lockdown is over for Vienna and Lower Austria, not that I am planning to do anything crazy. It is also the beginning of the week that some people I know personally or who are friends and relatives of my friends will be getting their Covid vaccinations, even though they are considerably younger than me. Why? Well, it's either because their companies were more diligent and/or politically well-connected and/or pushier than mine or because they found doctors to write them dubious certificates that they belong to the "risk factor" cohort that is currently being prioritised. Impfneid, which translates to "vaccination envy" is one of those words that were coined during the past months. Until recently it was not really something I could personally relate to (my main concern was that my parents would get their first shot and they now have, thankfully) and I still feel more than a little disgusted by people who swindle their way onto some prioritisation list, but now that it begins to feel that I will be among the very last people in this country to get the chance for lack of connections and low moral standards, I am getting a feel of what this concept means. The envy is becoming real and I really don't want to end up with less privileges than everyone who has received their vaccinations and, worst of it, be put into the same category of people who deliberately choose not to get vaccinated because they are believers in some conspiracy theory or other. Excuse the lame pun, but can I get my shot at the new normal, please?