A Roda Guinchante

The Squeaky Wheel or Pure Coincidence

As we are leaving for Evora as you are reading this, I had written a few posts ahead of time. One of them was originally entitled “I Don’t Mean to Whine” … thus the picture below. But after what happened on Tuesday and yesterday, I took time to re-write the post and change the title. You’ll understand why as you read on.

Getting into the Covid Queue

I first wrote about getting into the Covid vaccine queue on 9 March. Following my post, a reader kindly contacted me with information on how to get a temporary numero de utente (the number the national public health service knows you by). That day I sent an email as instructed. There was an automated response saying they have gotten a lot of emails and it would likely take 2-3 weeks. Five weeks later nothing. I contacted our relocation company and they told me about a Covid website but said without the number it is likely nothing would happen. We registered on it…but nothing.

After a lot of emails and phone calls, I happened to be talking to our banker. He said the Mayor of Cascais was anxious to get everyone vaccinated and suggested I contact his office. What the heck! I emailed the office and literally the same day I got a response telling me where to send all the information I had sent to the prior email address. Progress!

Wait 2 Weeks

I immediately sent all the information to the email provided. I got another automated response. In my business life, I gave my coworkers 24 hours to respond to non-critical issues. But I realize I am not in the U.S. and this isn’t really a business transaction. I am a guest in a foreign country with its own culture and norms. I asked a Portuguese friend, “How long should I wait to follow up if I don’t get a response?” He said two weeks. On day 15, I sent another email. I also found a phone number for the recipient and called it (several times…no answer).

Day 16, at 0859 I called the number again. Hallelujah, she answered. I tried in Portuguese to explain the reason for my call. She asked if I spoke English…and we were off and running. She explained she had a lot of requests, but kindly looked up both Denise’s and mine. In the 30 minutes it took for us to get to Lisbon on the train we had an email with our numeros de utente (or is it numeros dos utentes…this part of Portuguese always messes me up).

Vaccine Scheduling Website

Portugal began using a vaccine scheduling website about 1 month ago. At that time, Portugal made the site available to anyone over 65…we qualified. The site was clear and concise. Enter some basic demographic information, your numero de utente, your address, pick a health center, and wha-laa. Within a few days, you should receive a text message with your appointment date and time. Two days later we had dinner with our realtor. She had just received her first shot. She had received her text message within 30 minutes of exiting the website.

So I returned to the website and entered my date of birth and health number. The site said we have your information, but if you have not heard from us in 72 hours “click aqui”. I did and again nada.

Our housekeeper comes on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the 12th, she told us she was going to be vaccinated that day. They had now opened it up to 60 and up. She was surprised we hadn’t been vaccinated yet. We went through the website with her. It was all correct. “Maybe it is because you have not been assigned a family doctor by the clinic,” she suggested. Okay, let’s see where that leads us.

The next day we went to the local public health clinic. They didn’t think it had anything to do with a primary care physician. They confirmed everything was correct and said someone would be in touch. I sheepishly asked, “When?”

“If you have not gotten a call or text within the next month, come back”, she replied. We left convinced we would be back in 30 days…

That Brings Us to This Week

I told Denise I was going to call the Mayor’s office. She wished me luck. I called on Monday. I was able to understand enough of the Portuguese directory to press 1 for Mayor and then 1 again for Covid. The woman that answered the phone spoke English. She looked up our information and asked when we had first entered the website. I provided the date. I explained that we visited the health center and they suggested it might take 30 days. “30 days! No that is too long. If you have not gotten a call or text in 3 days, please call me back.”

Tuesday, at 1445 I got a call. I was asked if I could be at the Covid vaccination site in 15 minutes. I explained I was coming by bus. Okay then come at 1600. I arrived as instructed, provided my numero de utente and with the help of an English-speaking volunteer answered a questionnaire. I was provided the first Pfizer vaccine, given a next appointment date and time, waited 30 minutes to ensure I was okay and was home by 1700.

However, Denise was not contacted. Then Wednesday morning, at about 0800 I received a text. It instructed me to come in Thursday (today) at 1104. To confirm the reservation, you respond with your numero de utente and the word “SIM”(yes). As I had just been vaccinated, and Denise had not, I responded with her number and “SIM”. Mission accomplished!

Is it pure coincidence that I got called within 24 hours of speaking to the woman in the Mayor’s office? Or was I the squeaking wheel? What do you think?

Hopefully, as you are reading this or perhaps before you woke, Denise received her first shot. Was it wrong of me to assign her to the duplicative appointment offered to me? Do you think she will eventually get a text?

Final Update: On the 15th and 17th of June Denise and I got our second Pfizer shot. Fortunately, I slept for the better part of a day and a half and Denise had nothing but a sore arm. What a relief! Though Portugal is moving through the queue in a far more efficient manner we know of many expats living in Portugal that have not been vaccinated. The issue seems to center around the numero de utente (aka health number). Bottom line: it might take some work, some creativity, and a lot of persistence but Portugal does want to vaccinate you. Investigate every avenue for yourself and for your community.