Vaccines: Protect With Caution

For as long as humans have existed, diseases have been a persistent threat. Human beings have been pushed to great extents to develop innovative methods, medicines, and vaccines to combat and overcome these health challenges. A few months ago, I took a course on Modern Literature. Interestingly, a part of the course explores how human beings combated injuries and diseases during the 19th and 20th centuries. At the time, technology wasn't as advanced as it is now. Human beings battled injuries and diseases with traditional methods. For example, during wars, if a soldier got shot in the arm or leg and it became infected, the only option was to amputate the limb. However, during the World War, Penicillin was developed; an antibiotic that helped humans fight off bacteria. So instead of amputating the soldier's legs and arms, Penicillin came in to save the day. This proves that humans have been combating diseases for a long time.

For week 17, the Sci-Fi multiverse asks us to share our takes on vaccines. During the days of our forefathers, many lives were lost because human beings had not developed innovative methods to fight diseases. However, after much suffering and trials, vaccines came to light. To my best understanding, vaccines are substances administered to the body to combat diseases and strengthen the immune system. My mom is a nurse, and growing up with a nurse at home, we had to get familiar with these things. For someone whose mum is a nurse, I have never liked needles. Drugs are much more preferable, but you see needles? I don’t like it when it touches my skin. I have had ugly experiences with injections when I was a kid, and seeing them alone gives me PTSD.

Growing up, I remember how my mom would take my siblings and me for vaccines. My memories are a bit hazy, but I remember we took Hepatitis B vaccines. Hepatitis B vaccines protect against Hepatitis B infection. I'm not sure about how it works, but I remember my siblings and I took it when we were younger. In my opinion, vaccines are good because they protect against diseases. However, it's sad to see that some people are still stuck in the past, reluctant to embrace the future. I remember how my childhood friend wasn't allowed to take medication. His parents are deeply rooted in culture and traditions that they pushed modernity far beyond their doors. They didn't introduce their kids to medicine, let alone vaccines. So whenever their kids fell sick, they made use of roots, herbs, and potions. Interestingly, these methods worked for them. And their kids look healthier and stronger.

As much as my mom didn't have anything against vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccine was a no-go area. For starters, there were many rumors and theories that surrounded it. A theory suggested that the covid-19 vaccine was doing the opposite of what it was meant to do. Instead of protecting the immune system, it damages it. We also saw many videos, posts, and tweets about people complaining about how they started to feel unwell after taking the covid-19 vaccine. We were unsure whether this was true, but to stay on the safe side, we didn't take the covid-19 vaccine.

In conclusion, vaccines are good because they protect our immune system. However, we must be careful about which ones we take and where we get them.

Thanks for reading.