"Dracula's Castle" in Romania offering free vaccines
The castle said to have helped inspire Bram Stoker's "Dracula" will now offer COVID-19 vaccines. Bran Castle in Romania, often referred to as Dracula's Castle, will have free Pfizer vaccines for visitors every weekend in May, the BBC reports.
The site is certainly having some fun with its push for vaccinations. Medics can be seen sporting fang stickers, and signs featuring ferocious teeth replaced by needles have been spotted across the grounds.
Visitors can show up without an appointment, and they will also receive free admission to the castle's exhibit of medieval torture instruments.
The push to get more Romanians vaccinated comes as the country pledges to vaccinate at least 10 million people by September. According to Reuters, the country has administered nearly 5.8 million vaccine doses so far. Romania's total population is 19.41 million.
The country boasts one of the highest vaccine hesitancy rates, however. Nearly half the population doesn't want to get vaccinated, according to a survey by Slovakian think tank Globesec.
As the BBC notes, officials are hoping Bran Castle's vaccine drive is a boon for both vaccination rates and tourism numbers, as the castle has seen fewer visitors lately due to the pandemic.
