There is Pikachu, Batman, Winnie the Pooh and a unicorn under the same tent, but this is not a joke or a children’s movie. It is a covid-19 vaccination point in the south of Mexico City where the best characterized characters are awarded.
Under an electric yellow suit, long ears and the unmistakable red cheeks of the most popular Pokémon, Roberto was hiding this Thursday, who allowed himself to be vaccinated without releasing any spark.
“I like Pikachu and it gives me courage because I don’t like needles. I like to dress up so I don’t get scared, ”this 24-year-old chef confessed to Efe, who until the last moment hesitated between turning to the famous electric mouse or Darth Vader.
To encourage the vaccination of young people, the mayor of Xochimilco made a call to go disguised to the immunization and will deliver books and pajamas to those who garner more likes on social networks.
The truth is that since the vaccination of those over 18 years old began weeks ago, the influx of young people has exceeded expectations. “Let everyone come to get vaccinated. I had an uncle who had COVID recently and he did not get vaccinated, “said Pikachu.
A FILM ROW
Thousands of people over 18 years old came to the mayor’s sports center on Thursday to receive their first dose of Pfizer, although few left their shame at home and donned the costumes of their favorite characters.
The famous Winnie Pooh bear, wrestling characters or Susana Distancia, a superhero created by the Mexican government at the beginning of the pandemic to promote social distancing, paraded before the needle.
The endless line, lasting more than three hours, might seem discouraging, but Daniela, 24, dressed as a shark, swam enthusiastically through it.
“I think it is important, we have all gone through difficult times and this will help reduce infections and people do not die. It’s good that there are so many that we want to get vaccinated, ”he said while waving his fins in a funny way.
Mexico is going through one of the hardest moments of the covid-19 pandemic, a disease that has affected more than 3.15 million Mexicans and has claimed the lives of more than 250,000.
In the last day, the country registered its maximum record of daily infections in the entire epidemic, with more than 28,953, as well as the highest number of deaths in the current third wave, with 940.
To ‘knock out’ the coronavirus that causes so much havoc, Valeria attended the vaccination characterized as an Aztec warrior, with an uncovered navel and a plume of feathers that attracted glances and flashes.
“They have asked me for photos and they look at me a lot. It’s like fun because I came out of my comfort zone, ”explained this 19-year-old with a smile, whose last school year was suddenly interrupted last year by the pandemic.
THE SUPER POWERFUL IMMUNITY
After receiving their long-awaited vaccine, Valeria and the rest of the people went through the observation area, where a Batman and a Spiderman danced reggaeton to liven up the wait to replace Pandemio, a panda that has become famous in other vaccination centers.
The superhero Javier, 24, chose to get vaccinated was Supergrillo, a character with a cape and green antennae that he himself created for his trade as a children’s storyteller.
Vaccination in Mexico started last December and after a long wait he finally had to: “I wanted to get vaccinated from the first moment but there is no problem, I wait with all the desire in the world,” said this cricket immune to insecticides and now also to the covid.
Although they neither galloped nor trotted, Fernanda and Carlos came with the same desire to receive their doses, covered with a unicorn head and a horse head respectively.
They were horses for a day “to make this vaccination fun and make other people fun for a while because there are many young people who are scared and nervous,” Carlos confessed euphoric but without whinnying.
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