Mallorca's person of the week; vaccines and SOS Turismo

... was, and posthumously, the Duke of Edinburgh. Members of the British royal family seem to now live to a ripe old age. For many, many people, the Queen and Prince Philip have been constants over many a decade. They have reached pensionable age with these two figures always having been present. Indomitable, steadfast, unshakeable, despite everything. Until now. Prince Philip has gone, and with his passing, so also goes an element of so many people's lives for so long. Tributes, obituaries, recollection of the gaffes ...; they are numerous. But for those reflecting quietly, there will simply be the memory of someone who was always there.

Three cheers ...

For the 200,000 barrier having been crossed. By Thursday, more than 200,000 doses of vaccine had been administered. On Wednesday, a record was set for the number of vaccines given in one day - 9,364. This did admittedly mean that only slightly less than 15% of the adult population had received at least one dose by Thursday, but progress seemed to be being made. There again, with each step forward, there was another one backward. AstraZeneca had been suspended. Again. And now there was also an issue with Johnson & Johnson. One day, 70% of the population will have been immunised.

A big boo ...

Well sort of a boo for Alcudia town hall having seemingly been guided by tour operators in its non-display of an SOS Turismo banner. It is only sort of because the the town hall has expressed its full support for the campaign. However, the town hall had been advised by tour operators that a banner was "counterproductive in terms of tourist image". If a banner of such a type was all that we needed to worry about in putting the tourism season at risk, we would be very lucky. As it is, a banner is the least of concerns. A legitimate statement and cry for help, it's not as if tourists themselves cannot appreciate the sentiment.