Getting foreign vaccinations on the NHS app. Covid 19. Sinopharm.

I was vaccinated in Dubai in January 2021, just 3 weeks apart between the jabs. I chose to have the Sinopharm vaccine as it was the only one on offer and with me travelling back and forth to Dubai I was concerned that it could become a condition of travel to enter the UAE and I wasn't being offered the vaccine in the UK until March/April 2021 and the second dose date at that time was unknown.

In October 2021 the Dubai Health Authority recommend a booster dose of Pfizer and again 3 months later.

We registered our vaccines with our GP on our return to the UK, but they could not be coded onto the NHS. Our GP wrote a letter to confirm they were genuine in case we needed to travelEndless phone calls and emails yielded nothing. Our GP agreed to the booster and recorded it as a booster, he had to over ride the system to do so. We received a call from the NHS team to ask us why we had a booster without the first 2 vaccines, we explained but nothing came of it.

When we had our second booster the NHS were registering vaccinations administered in Europe and certain vaccines in approved countries, but not the UAE. I was also working at the NHS vaccination centre in Worcester so was able to find out this information a lot easier. Our second dose was recorded as our first dose. No call from the NHS at that time.

We had been advised to return in a further 3 months for another vaccination which technically would be a booster and told to have the half dose Moderna as our Sinopharm vaccine was over a year old. We booked through the NHS and were informed we needed to rebook an Overseas appointment and return with our Sinopharm papers to have them put onto the app as long as they were the Beijing vaccines, which they were.

We're travelling to Australia this summer to visit our middle son after 3 years and whilst I'm sure Australia accept vaccine certificates from the UAE, we were a little concerned that might not be the case or may cause some confusion as our Emirates ID cards they are linked to has expired and we would be travelling from the UK.

We're all sorted now, just need to book our flights and check the requirements for travel and PCR's nearer the time we fly.

It's a much easier process now to travel with clear guidelines, unlike the travel I did during covid that changed over night and cost us a small fortune to do.

Flying during a pandemic out of lockdown.

I flew to Belfast on the weekend with Easy Jet.

Easy Jet kept me informed via email about all the regulations and rules and tests and paperwork I would need if flying from outside the Travel Corridor.

Having flown regularly during Covid and in lock downs, I'm more than fully aware and prepared for anything and everything when travelling these days and whilst my flight was within the UK, I took with me my passport, proof of vaccine and letter from Doctor as it was administered outside of the UK, my NHS covid pass on the app via a recent LFT, spare LFT kit for my flight home, printed my tickets in case my phone failed and was just grateful I wasn't having to privately PCR test at the cost of £150 via a lab in Bristol or book a quarantine hotel at the cost of around £2000 as I've had to do with flights during the pandemic.

For many people flying just stopped for a year and when the Government said they could fly again they went off on their holidays complaining about the additional charges and the inconvieneces and the extra time they had to take off work as borders opened/closed and traffic light systems moved around.

I personally have no desire to spend a week or two on a beach in the sun, especially with the announcement of Morocco suspending direct flights from Germany, Netherlands and UK this week.

During the pandemic I've only flown between England and Dubai and to Northern Ireland, places where I can stay without additional costs, should borders close, which they did do when I made it back to Dubai last December and Peter got shut in Saudi as the borders closed overnight and it was 2 weeks before he got home, thankfully he was travelling with work so all his costs were met, but imagine the costs involved with finding accommodation or having to pay medical bills or for hotel quarantine if testing positive for covid prior to departure?

For these reasons I've turned down an opportunity to return to Dubai in November, but we're making plans for visiting our son in Australia as soon as we are allowed to travel. We'll also travel to Germany soon where we have friends to stay with.

Deserted arrivals hall Dubai T1 March 2020.

 Seeing T3 Heathrow closed makes you realise just how serious this pandemic is. 

An empty arrivals hall and closed departure hall at Birmingham International when it reopened was also startling.

Like I said almost back to normal now, apart from the mask wearing. 

Flights are increasing in terms of frequency and destinations. Seeing a departure board cover 4 days of flights in an International airport, is not something I ever want to see again. If I'm honest, I'd be happy if I never had to fly again either, but with kids and close friends living overseas, it's going to have to happen.

November 2020

49 flights over 63 hours

October 2021

41 flights over 14 hours

 

5th - 7th February 2021 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie and I and who would've thought February would ever arrive?

Sorry I was late with the commenting and post sharing the past two weeks. As is typical for me, it's all or nothing with my life. I've had a busy week with the golf in Abu Dhabi, then back in the UK unpacking 99 boxes of our life back into our family home.

It's so very strange putting things back in the same place they came from 10 years ago having moved to South Africa then back again via Dubai.

I've obviously been isolating for the past 10 days. I'm allowed out tomorrow, but will only be going dog walking. I may try an actual shop next week, but I suspect I'll be doing click and collect from now on.

I've got to sort out pet/house sitters for mid April till end of June so I can return to Dubai to sort an internal move and spend time with my husband. No idea if I'll be allowed back in or out again and now we have to be prepared for a 2 week hotel stay (at our expense) if required. Fingers crossed it's still PCR on arrival otherwise I have to drive to Bristol for private testing.

Nothing runs smoothly for us, EVER. I've linked up this week with the unpacking saga and share with you some tips on how to move your furniture abroad. You should know me by now that it won't be a practical step by step guide like the 'experts' regularly share.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

My Winter COVID Vacation in Dubai

Yes, I left the UK during lockdown to go to Dubai for 2 months over winter. I'm not an influencer and certainly wasn't getting free accommodation in exchange for a few Instagram posts, but I did have a couple of hotel stays in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but there was little beach and pool time as it's too cold at the moment. Ok it's still 25c, but when you're used to temps in the 40's in the summer, the sea does feel quite chilly.

Dubai's covid rules are different to the UK and change as the virus changes. At the moment no more than 4 in a coffee shop, 7 in a restaurant to sit together and tables 3ms apart. No indoor groups, but gyms and hairdressers are open. Malls and shops operating as normal, whilst Covid compliance officers are checking on numbers of shoppers, working practices, use of masks and hand sanitisers there's no one counting you in and out and taking your temperature any more.

Life in Dubai is very different to the UK, FULL STOP. I've family and friends around the world, locals and expats like us. Apart from a few countries with completely different demographics, Covid is behaving the same around the world. The number of deaths and cases differ depending on how or if they are reported. The UK is different because it's made up of different people, attitudes, entitlement (yes really). We don't choose to eat out often in the UK or go to the cinema or even visit nail bars and hairdressers. We spend our time in the UK with family, out door activities and with friends and as expats even though I'm back in the UK, I can't do any of that anyway, so it was nice to be able to have the option to be elsewhere.

I was in Dubai because I have a visa to live there with my husband for the past 6 years, however I've been spending more and more time in the UK over recent years and with us reclaiming our family home and relocating the cat and dog to the UK and covid hitting in March 2020 I've only spent 18 weeks there in the past 12 months. Only 14 weeks actually with my husband as he was away for one week with work then he managed to get shut in Saudi for an extra week when they closed their borders over night, I spent time in hospital with a slipped disc, had surgery and had then time in Abu Dhabi working on the golf.

I've received quite a bit of indirect criticism about being out in Dubai, but it's been my home for the last 6 years and my husband still lives and works there. I certainly wouldn't be contemplating travelling for a holiday, I'm more than happy to travel between the UK and Dubai as I have a home in both countries and can afford to isolate and pay for a hotel stay for quarantine purposes. 

There have been brunches, coffees with friends, cinema trips, using public transport, pub quizzes, walks on the beach as well as:

8 x PCR tests

2 x hospital stays

2 x hotel stays

2 x working at major sporting events

Early March 2020 schools closed, by mid March Emirates stopped flying and the end of March, Dubai closed its borders. Curfews in place and permits required to leave home.

June and residents and citizens were allowed to fly back in. My husband wasn't allowed to fly as he was over 60. Under 12's also weren't allowed, as well as no access to malls. 

July tourists allowed back in. Permission to travel from both UK and UAE required.

August and Peter was allowed to fly. 2 weeks isolation in the UK, then a PCR test required to fly back to Dubai. Same for me for my trip in September and 2 weeks isolation back in the UK.

October and citizens PCR on arrival, tourists PCR prior to travel and on arrival also. Isolate until results arrive.

Abu Dhabi has different rules which still require anyone entering to wear a tracking device while they are isolating for 10 days. A PCR test is required for residents of the UAE to cross the border also.

Getting the Chinese Vaccine Sinopharm for Covid 19 in the UAE

As an expat, with our family, home and cat and dog in the UK and Peter, my husband, working in Dubai, I am in the fortunate position to have a home in both countries and the ability to travel freely when I choose, so we can be there for our family, we don't miss births and weddings and I get the best of both worlds in regards to escaping the oppressive heat of Dubai in the Summer and the cold and short, dark days of winter in the UK.

However 2020 put a huge spanner in the works for our lifestyle, seeing me return to the UK in March for Dubai to close the borders on me until June, separating Peter and I. Due to uncertainty and permission needed for travel we decided to wait till August before travelling and Peter flew to the UK and isolated for 2 weeks on arrival followed by a week of social distanced visits with the family. By the time I flew into Dubai the following week I needed to have PCR tests before I was allowed to fly. 

I came out to Dubai on November 30th and return to the UK on January 26th. Peter had to travel to Saudi after I arrived for work for a week, but ended up spending Christmas over there in a hotel after Saudi closed its borders due to the new strain of covid that has come out of the UK.

Due to the uncertainty of the virus as it mutates and new strains are discovered and with the requirements for travel I investigated my options for the covid vaccine whilst I was in Dubai should it become mandatory for future travel. The Covid 19 app a mandatory download which contains my latest covid status and permission to return to Dubai as well as latest test date, vaccination card and ever changing up to date info.

Currently Dubai are offering over 60's, front line workers, people of determination and those with underlying health conditions the Pfizer vaccine, free of charge. There's a number to ring 800342 or you can register on the website to book an appointment. There are 6 facilities in Dubai.

Abu Dhabi are offering all UAE residents the Chinese Vaccine, Sinopharm. I was able to book on the SEHA app or I could just turn up to Dubai Parks and Resorts and hope a slot is available on arrival.

The Sinopharm Vaccination is the only vaccine available to me at the moment, it could be April before I can have the Pfizer one in Dubai and probably the end of 2021 to have it in the UK. My theory is if the ship is sinking to get in the first life boat that comes along and for me, it's the Chinese Vaccine.

There are a couple of things you need to know before having this vaccine, it has less than 90% effectiveness, however it's not proven yet if any of the vaccines will prevent you catching and spreading the virus and there is always the possibility that all the vaccines become yearly like the flu or 5 yearly like the pneumonia vaccine I had recently also.

• If you've had a live vaccination for flu or pneumonia, you are required to wait 30 days before having a covid vaccine.
• If you've had a baby within 6 months, pregnant or are planning to get pregnant within 3 months then you cannot have the vaccine either and all women under 50 are required to have a pregnancy test before the vaccine is administered. I have no idea if this happens with the other vaccines or in other countries.
• The process from arrival to vaccination and being able to leave took 3 hours, around 2 hours of that was spent in the car waiting to go in, but once it was your turn the process was straight forward.
• You show your ID on arrival then depending if you're a walk in or have an appointment you're sent one of two ways. 
• You are given a ticket number, visit the counter, ID card checked and forms handed to you, along with sticky labels with your details on and then you are directed to one of three field tents.
• You are seen by a nurse, blood pressure and oxygen levels taken, height and weight recorded, wait for urine results if required and are then seen by a Doctor who takes a medical history from you, you sign a consent form and permission for the vaccine to be administered is given
• You are then required to wait for 15 mins before blood pressure and oxygen levels are taken again and then you can go home.
• A text message is sent with the date and time of your second appointment, 2nd doses are given in a different walk in/drive through area.
• I also received a text message with a phone number I could call for advice if I had any concerns about the injection or have a reaction. 

So far so good, didn't feel the needle go in and no swelling or tenderness at injection site.

A couple of tips for you if you choose this route.

• You will be a minimum of 3 hours
• You will spend 2 of these hours in your vehicle
• You will not be allowed to get out of your car and there is little if no information available to you until it is your turn to go in
• You may or may not know when it is your turn to go in, it will depend if you've been paying attention to where the cars come from, other people being told to get back in their cars or not by security
• There are toilets but no food or drink available (water is provided once you are in the field hospital)
• Be prepared to be seen by the Nurse and the Doctor with at least one other person who is waiting for the vaccine also, you will be asked for your medical history in front of another patient, unless you request not to
• Wear your mask at all times, hand sanitiser is available at numerous places
• People will tell you that you can get the vaccine done privately for a small fee, without a queue, that is not the case over here, ask them where, how much and when? It is usually the Covid PCR test they are referring to