Expat News: British nationals as British expats stranded as other countries lag behind | UK | New UK News

While the UK has now vaccinated 33.1 million people, states like Japan have inoculated less than one percent of their population, leaving expats stranded and trapped in their new homes. Meanwhile, a British expat living in Moraira, Spain, said he was jealous of how quickly the UK was progressing with its vaccination program. Mike Evans, 76, a retired engineer said: ‘We are all green with envy about the UK and its vaccine rollout.

“When it all started on March 14 last year Spain was doing the best job ever.

“We were placed under a very strict lockdown which was strictly controlled.

“We were not allowed to leave our house.”

Such is the dire situation in Japan, expats have now considered returning to the UK to combine with seeing family members while also being able to receive a vaccine.

Although Japan was praised for its response to the pandemic last year, the vaccination rate has remained slow this year.

An expat, Sean O’Neill, told The Guardian: ‘Why should I consider spending £ 4,000-5,000 on a trip back to the UK to get the vaccine, plus the same 10-12 weeks plus late to get the second dose?

“I would gladly pay, say, £ 500 to have the vaccine delivered here in Japan.

“I’m sure others would too.”

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“Come on guys. Make it happen.

“The whole world is doing it. Why wait?”

Expats in the EU have expressed concern at the low vaccination rate on the continent, which has triggered a third wave of the virus.

Indeed, some of the 285,000 British expatriates living in Spain have claimed to have been missed by the state’s vaccination program.

To receive a vaccine, expatriates must be registered with the Spanish National Health Service.

If they use private health care, there is no guarantee that they will be included in Spain’s vaccination program.

Last month, a woman spoke of her frustration at not knowing how to get vaccinated in Spain.

She told Olive Press: “My husband and I are both retired expats who have been living in Seville since 2017, where we registered with mayor and pay our income taxes.