A Shot at Life: Understanding the Role of Vaccines

I remember how my dad was against me taking to Covid vaccine a few years ago because he thought I was going to die later. I mean, that’s what we all thought because there had been this speculation during the Covid period that anyone who took the vaccine was bound to not live for up to a number of years as the vaccine will make their immune system weak with time and they’d eventually die. Funny right? Yes.

But I eventually had to get the shot because I was traveling and it was part of the requirements. And also, I’m still alive and kicking like nobody’s business. Vaccines have been a part of human existence for a while now because we have many diseases in the system we need to be vaccinated for. Growing up, I remember getting vaccinated for the 6 killer diseases and a few others. For most of these vaccinations, the health officers always came to our schools to give us these drugs and honestly, they didn’t taste so bad. I can even feel the taste of one particular one in my mouth now.

But before we were given these drugs to take or injected with them, our parents were informed first to prevent double vaccination. On other days also, the health officers came to our homes to vaccinate us. As young as I was then, I didn’t know much about these stuff but I was being taught about the 6 killer de sea sea way back in primary school so I had some knowledge on them.

I guess with Covid, the whole story was different with the stigma and all of that. Today, I’m in the health sector and I can say that I’ve learnt so much about vaccines and their importance and I even managed to convince my mom to get the Covid shot. A while back, there was some news about those who took the Covid shot dying soon enough and the Ghanaian in me came back to life. I mean, where I come from, we always believe these stuff because it spreads like wildfire. Even though I know better now, that Ghanaian voice in me always somehow believes all these speculations.😂

On a more serious note, a lot goes into the production of vaccines and they are obviously for the safety of humanity. Scientist go through a lot to synthesise these vaccines for us only for us to end up refusing to take them because of superstition. If for any reason we don’t know anything , we should at least know that a lot goes into these drugs showing up at our doorsteps. So, let’s learn to appreciate the efforts of others and value our own safely by getting vaccinated. Because these vaccines are meant for us!

If you haven’t been vaccinated for any disease, you should now.

all images belong to me.