The online application is blocked every time I try, I have called the service many times to find an alternative, but they tell me that the website is “not working”. I have visited my local health centre twice, asked them to check all my registration details to see if there is a mistake that affects my application, and they tell me everything is correct, except that there is nothing they can do to help as the system is incompetent. Last night I spoke yet again with someone via the SNS help number, obviously very kind and sympathetic, but she said there was nothing to be done. This morning I have tried again, same results, no access. It is sad that the workers in health care. already submerged in their jobs, are now wasting their time and energy on problems with the public that they cannot resolve, and that were caused by the professional incompetence of technical administrators.

The blurb on the EU website tells us that we are all entitled to a certificate by European law, including the choice of one in English to facilitate travel complications, and in my case, the passport to access the care home where my mother is dying.

Given that only less than half of Portugal is fully vaccinated, and that probably fewer than half of those entitled to a certificate has applied, it represents a massive unpublicised administrative failure by the Portuguese government to fulfil their European obligations, as well as to protect their citizens and residents further to assist their urgent needs, along with providing maximum priority safety for others in various circumstances, both professional, and personal. This failure should be on the front page of every newspaper to shame the government into action and to resolve the many other problems still existing with the Covid-19 rollout. Furthermore, some people may now consider it pointless to be vaccinated if they could not prove it, especially the younger generations who consider themselves less at risk.

I have a flight booked for travel, an apartment for my quarantine, my mother lying in bed waiting to see me, but all this will have to be cancelled if I have no vaccination certificate. The current window of opportunity for my travel to the UK, will soon close when increasing variant infection rates as seen, shall make it a dangerous destination and further restrictions will be imposed. Such as, the imminent closing of all visitor access to care homes in the UK, as before.

My husband, resident in Belgium, but working from here, received his certificate in 20 seconds online, as have all of our friends living in multiple European states. It indicates a more serious problem within an administration, that should be revealed.

Perhaps I made a bad choice to live in Portugal.

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