A fear ingrained

We are humans, and we all have complex body systems. These complex systems of ours, protected by our immune systems, need aid to restrict illnesses and work better at countering them. Now, that's why vaccines came into existence. I like to think that the creation of vaccines is one of scientists' most impactful contributions, to humanity. Because not only do most of them prevent the diseases, they counter the spread of the virus even if it existed already. I so love the idea.

I'm not very familiar with vaccines. Apart from BCG vaccine, and the likes, which was administered to me, as a baby, I haven't been on the receiving end of any. In my part of the world, many people are cautious about what exactly they take into their bodies, that's different from the regular drugs and injections they're used to. So, vaccines aren't so common in my part of the world. But in this post, I'll tell you about a superstition I heard, some years ago, about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Source

I've said this in one of my posts, here on hive, about how rumours went around, in my environment back in the days. There was a superstition they came up with, for the COVID vaccine (By they, I mean people around us). If you remember, COVID-19 period had everybody on the lookout for any symptom similar to those which it's victims, as broadcasted, were said to have exhibited. With the number of victims skyrocketing and eliciting fear in the minds of Nigerians, the saying that scientists were going to be the brains behind the end of the world, was already coming to fruition, where we were concerned. After all, scientists created the deadly virus in the first place, didn't they?

So, as we were all in fear of what was to come, it's no surprise when people took the news of the vaccine with skepticism. To them and the me of the past, extraordinary situations called for extraordinary measures, isn't that what they said? And if COVID-19 was so extraordinary in itself, what do we say about something that's meant to counter a virus as deadly as it?

I overheard it one faithful day, when a lady was talking to my mom, and she said that the COVID-19 vaccine was produced, using the dead skin cells of aborted foetus. According to her, these scientists have found a way to keep the foetus, so they decay but not completely, and when they were good enough, they'll be used to make the vaccine. She said she was only telling my mom because they made the vaccine free so many people will accept it, and that way, their next invention involving the masses would be near successful already. That was her way of looking out for my mom and her family.

This is the second time I'm writing about a superstition related to technology, that emanated from people around me, few years ago and going down this lane, has me exhausted by the mentality we held on to, as a people. If for every weird rumours I heard from being in that area alone, scientists aged a year, they'd be inching towards 100years of age by now or more. It's not even making sense yet, we gobbled it up, like it was something we needed to do.

I don't see anything wrong with vaccines, even if I haven't received one. Vaccines are a way to reduce the torments we humans suffer in the hands of diseases. So, for anybody that is okay, and consents to it, they should happily do it for themselves. After all, a saying goes 'Health is Wealth'.

Thanks for reading.

This is my entry to the Sci-fi Multiverse prompt for the week

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