UN General Assembly Gets a Mobile Vaccine Bask and a Talking Trumpet
A pink‑yellow‑blue bus—think a tricolor circus wagon—has rolled into the UN compound to serve as a free mobile clinic, offering rapid COVID tests and Johnson & Johnson shots from dawn to dusk this week. The goal? Avoid turning the global summit into a giant indoor playground for the virus.
What’s on the menu– Free COVID‑19 screening- Johnson & Johnson vaccine- 7 am to 11 pm service hours
Why the United Nations is Handing Out Vaccines on Wheels
The US has been nudging world leaders to keep their distance from New York, but President Joe Biden is flying in for his first UN trip since becoming commander‑in‑chief.
The UN’s “honor system” requires masks and vaccinations but doesn’t ask for proof—if you’re not vaccinated, you’re still expected to keep your distance.
NYC authorities, meanwhile, will enforce vaccination verification at restaurants, prompting some foreign delegations to chuck pizza in the streets instead.
Getting Tested, Or Not, the Brazilian Way
Jair Bolsonaro—Brazil’s president and self‑proclaimed vaccine skeptic—moved straight into the heart of the Assembly with a firm conviction that his past COVID infection was enough to keep him safe.
His entourage collected swabs from the same van that serves diplomats from all corners, but the picture remains: “I’ve had COVID, I don’t need a shot.”
The van, named “Vax‑van,” already supplied over 80 tests and 6 full J&J shots by Thursday afternoon.
Linda Thomas‑Greenfield: No‑Shame, No‑Mess
“Get a free test or a vaccine,” she advised the press on Monday after having herself screened.“Let’s keep the summit safe—don’t turn this into a super‑spreader party.”
Takeaway for Globetrotting Politicians
Masks are mandatory, but vaccines are optional—at least in paperwork.
The best way to keep the world from contracting COVID at the UN? A mobile bus with free tests, a generous dose of humor, and a sprinkle of political chemistry.
Heads up:* The bus is a “relaxed” environment, but the world’s leaders are on a tight schedule—so the crew is working around the clock to keep the pandemic at bay.
