Dancers, who were disguised as nurses, doctors, firefighters and Civil Protection workers, stripped down to their yellow school T-shirts.
Electronic music chords of Blinding Lights pierced the chatter of health professionals and teenagers at a vaccination center in Cascais.
On the edge of rows of folding chairs, a man in a blue reflector vest and white trousers turned a cartwheel and somersault in the air before moving to the beat of the music. Then, as a woman in a doctor’s white coat passed him, he extended his arms to her and to another woman in white behind him. Both seemed to reject his overtures.
But by the time, The Weeknd broke into the opening lines:
I been tryna call
I been on my own for long enough
Maybe you can show me how to love, maybe
All three of them showcased joy and energy in their synchronized moves. And then, there were more: two in orange vests, two more in white coats, six “patients” who rose from their seats and donned yellow T-shirts that read the name of their dance school, ART LAB.
A flash mob! Of doctors, nurses, firefighters and Civil Protection workers, “everyone who has been working for months to ensure the success of the vaccination process against the novel virus in the country”, reported SIC Noticias (September 5).
“Fantastic,” Margarida, 17, told SIC Noticias. She had received her second COVID-19 vaccination at the Pavilion of Alcabideche in Cascais, where other 15- to 17-year-olds had done the same.
The four-minute flash mob dance was meant to provide “a peaceful environment for young people to feel good” at the vaccination center and to cheer on professionals who have been in this fight for months”, said the organizer from the ART LAB Association.
It was an initiative of the Municipality of Cascais, which has promoted small concerts and shows at vaccination centers to make the experience more dynamic, according to the municipality’s website.
In the age group of 12 to 17, 74 percent have had one vaccination dose, according to SIC Noticias. A total of 85 percent of the total population has had either one dose or had complete vaccination, according to the COVID-19 Task Force (September 5). Seventy-seven percent have complete vaccination, reported the Task Force.
Those who are 12 and older can get vaccinated through Casa Aberta (Open House) as walk-ins at the vaccine post of their registered health center, according to the National Health Service.
For those 16 and older, the following is the link for a vaccine appointment. For English, click on the globe on the upper right:
Date of birth, fiscal number, and patient user (utente) number are requested on the Directorate of Health (DGS) form. If you do not have a patient number, it asks for the identification number of your citizens’ card or passport.
After choosing a location from a dropdown menu, an appointment day is issued online immediately. An SMS should follow with a confirmed time.
All EU citizens and residents who have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from COVID-19 will be able to prove it with a digital certificate, which can be printed: