You can now get your COVID-19 vaccine at Dracula’s castle

Ever since the world shut its doors and went into lockdown in March 2020, tourism around the world has come to a screeching halt. However, as the vaccine rollout becomes more accessible in certain countries, tourism is finally opening up again. Now, in an exciting bid by the Romanian government, residents of Romania are able to swap out stakes in hearts and get the COVID-19 vaccine at the infamous Bran Castle.

Bran Castle is thought to have played host to Prince Vlad "the Impaler," the vampire Count Dracula who served as the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s popular novel. Since then, the Transylvania site has become a hit with fans of the paranormal. The castle is a massive tourist attraction in the area which previously saw hoards of people from around the world visiting on a daily basis.

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Now, in a bid to boost local tourism, the Romanian government has teamed up with the site to offer residents their vaccination as well as free entry into the site's torture exhibit.

BBC News reports that the unusual vaccination site is part of the country’s bid to vaccinate 10-million people by September, as around half the population reveal that they have no plans to be inoculated.

Romania has seen 29,000 deaths and over one million infections since the start of the pandemic and the government hopes that by running “vaccination marathons” at the popular site where residents will be able to get their jab without an appointment will help with its efforts.

Staying true to the legend that surrounds the castle, the vaccine certificate is reportedly decorated with a fanged medical worker wielding a syringe.

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Alexandru Priscu, the castle's marketing spokesperson, says that all who get the vaccine at the site will be offered free access to the castle’s torture exhibit which features 52 medieval instruments of torture. "The idea ... was to show how people got jabbed 500-600 years ago in Europe," Priscu says.

While many international tourists have expressed their interest in getting the vaccine at the spooky site, Priscu adds that, for now, only Romanian residents are eligible for the vaccine there.

Image courtesy: Pixabay