In Transylvania lies the mysterious Bran Castle, commonly known as Castle Dracula, the purported home of the world’s most famous undead bloodsucker. With origins dating back to the 13th century, the building has an intensely spooky atmosphere, is riddled with secret passages, and has been unnerving tourists for decades. Not only that, but anyone visiting on a weekend in May might feel a little prick against their skin.
Fortunately for them, this won’t be down to the supernaturally powerful Count or one of his sexy brides coming to drain them of blood, but a helpful volunteer giving them a COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine. The Romanian government wants to get as many people vaccinated as possible and have launched a drive to offer it in more places, with Bran Castle marketing director Alexander Priscu explaining:
“The idea… was to show how people got jabbed 500-600 years ago in Europe.”
The vaccination stations are run by doctors and nurses wearing fang stickers on their uniforms and those getting the jab also receive a ticket for free entry into the castle’s exhibit of medieval torture devices.
It’s a fun idea with a serious motivation behind it. Romania has recorded over a million COVID-19 infections since the beginning of the pandemic, but almost half of all Romanians have said they don’t want the vaccine. This has the potential to leave them as a pariah among European countries and seriously affect tourism, and Bran Castle is an extremely popular destination for visitors. So, the plan is that you can turn up at any Saturday or Sunday in May without an appointment and be guaranteed a shot.
Plus, when you look back on the pandemic, wouldn’t it be cool to say that you got your vaccine in Castle Dracula?
