"Have you been vaccinated yet? Come on, don't delay. Go for your jab!"
Goodness me, everybody seems to have become so pushy nowadays, especially my nosey-parker colleagues, some of whom even flaunt their 'I've been vaccinated' status.
But there are other 'worldly wise' fellows, who're saying, hang on for a spell.
Why?
Because the single dose Johnson and Johnson jab will be out, and then you can flaunt your 'single jab' pedigree- or even better still, you may even get the chance to sniff, "What jab? I opted for that truly exclusive nasal spray!"
Even if you are safely ensconced in your fortress like home, and your only contact with civilization is the weekly grocery delivery dropped at your door, you can't escape the Vaccinate! Vaccinate! vaccinate! jibber jabber that's cluttering up practically every available space.
Ringtones blab about the jab in a cacophony of dialects! Switch on the news and most of the time they're serving up even more 'jabber talk'. And let's not even think about the Whats App - Facebook -Social Media Tsunami of posts, reposts and look- at- me- with- a- needle- in- my- arm pictures!
Let's not mention the social snobbery : "I'm proud to have the Indian vaccine!" "Really? But isn't the Astra Zeneca the one with the more reliable data?" "Oh, nothing, really, no side effects at all. I wonder how people claim to have side effects!"
It's interesting to see how local authorities are trying their best to cajole, browbeat, and even threaten those who haven't been vaccinated. And all this, for goodness sake, when it's common knowledge that most of the states haven't received enough of this much touted magic potion to go round.
In Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, they say that cops handing out 'patriot missiles' in the form of oversize badges to the vaccinated, who have 'proven their deshbhakti', and they're hanging posters with a skull and crossbones around the necks of those who haven't been able to access the dose. Well, so much for human respect and dignity! So much for not stigmatizing others!
The thing is that the vaccine doesn't stop you catching COVID-19 and from transmitting it to others. What it really does is reduce your chances of infection.
If you're vaccinated and do catch the bug, you have a really great chance of not kicking the proverbial bucket.
So I'm not really sold on all this 'patriotic' drivel.
The vaccination is really about protecting me from possible death and black fungus and the horror story that goes with it.
That's what immunization is all about in the first place.
In some areas, all shopkeepers have been asked to get vaccinated if they want to get their business running again when the unlock happens. This makes sense, because shopkeepers and their assistants are the ones who have to interact with loads of unknown strangers.
The Meghalaya Government has directed its
employees to take COVID-19 vaccine. The Meghalaya government has directed all
employees, who are aged 45 years or above, working in the State Secretariat and
other government offices to get themselves vaccinated.
Those employees who do not take the jab, will
become 'non-eligible' for special leave in case they get infected with
COVID-19. “Those who have got themselves
vaccinated, will be eligible for special leave against COVID infection, which
will however not available to those who have not been vaccinated,” the order
said.
Nice move. Talk about the carrot and the stick!
Interesting, huh? If you take the jab and then get
COVID-19, you'll get special leave.
The vaccine doesn't stop the bug from getting to me and doesn't stop me passing it on to others. So why are the powers that be doing this song and dance? Why the pressure?
And what's all this about 'patriotic duty'?
Use your common sense buddy.
Yes, come the third wave, infections may rise but hopefully, things will be under control.
If you're vaccinated, and if COVID-19 does host a party in your system, you ain't gonna be in line for oxygen cylinders and expensive treatments.
Your loved ones aren't going to be screaming out their private emotions and frustrations in front of TV news cameras.
You will not be among the dear departed.
You'll have flattened the curve.
And no prizes for guessing who's going to hog the credit.
