Anti-Vaccination Poem by Bernedita Rosinha Pinto

Anti-Virus, Anti-Vaccination:
Everything was so passive and calm
as life took that turn uphill my palm;
resonating a decision should I or should I not
roll up my sleeve and take that shot
or should I sit indoors and play it safe
or should I keep wearing a face mask when I go out?
or should I use sanitizers and keep safe distance
or should I hope to escape the infection
by avoiding meeting friends and relatives?
or should I just wait for the danger to pass
by thinking Covid will finally disappear with time?

And all those I knew, had rushed to get the vaccine
and all those who got vaccinated
had felt a pain in the shoulder or got a heavy arm,
some complained of headaches or body aches
some with chills and fever slept it out
some with reactions gulped anti-allergy medicines
all with some complain or another found their hype.

But I had decided I would never go for it
unless there was a greater need or risk
as in the home I had decided to sit and wait
in my car I roamed and kept distance from others;
and I never pulled down my face mask in public places.

But suddenly a necessity to travel abroad
compelled me to take a decision
and I went to the vaccination center where
without any delay they gave me my vaccination;
as I walked out, I felt no pain in my arm
neither I had any temperature-rise for three days;
so, I got so worried why I had no fever nor pains;
but on the fourth night came those aches
as my head felt heavier than stone;
so, I tried to inhale some steam
yet it did not give me any relief;
and as days kept turning into a week,
my fatigue increased and I felt so tired
even if I had done no work at all....

My mind therefore wanders off to know
why vaccination is made so mandatory
and why it is imposed by every country
on its citizens and its people;
and when a person want to travel,
why is vaccination certificate of two doses
so compulsory on the list
when the host country itself can infect visitors
or the host country itself can have the virus cases
in their cities and towns, in their villages and homes
where Covid positive persons could be residing
or walking around and they can pass on the infection
to a visitor who has tested negative
at the airport or at a center where he was tested.

Yes, even after quarantine
a traveler can catch the virus infection
from the local citizens of that country
after all the tests he has done
and after all the precautions he has undergone
as the virus is a global pandemic,
so uncontrollable and roving everywhere;
and to impose the vaccine is such a threat
as it is not yet ascertained what will be
the long term side-effects of these vaccines,
neither there is any certainty
that one will not get Covid if the vaccine is taken.

So, why impose the vaccine on any one
when right to life is one's own prerogative
and whether one wants to take the precaution
by taking the vaccine or not,
it should be one's own judgment
as even after taking the vaccine
if life still faces dangers and risks,
if health still faces peril and jeopardy,
the initiative to take the vaccine should be
solely the decision of an individual
as we cannot take a vaccine which cannot
prevent an infection neither guarantee its own safety.

And as the global pandemic is uncontrollable
and if the vaccine cannot assure us of prevention
or protection from the Covid virus or its re-infection,
such a vaccine cannot be imposed on people
nor compel them to take the vaccine
which cannot promise safety to their life.

And when a vaccine can only promote
psychological satisfaction
and not its real purpose of elimination of a disease,
it becomes a misdirection and an inappropriate measure
for anyone to firmly go and take the shot
as human life has greater value
than taking a vaccine which has an oscillating effect
as it only make people either morally strong
or it will make people silently sick over the years.

And, as research has not yet proved there will not be
long term side-effects of a hurriedly prepared vaccine
and as our children are our future generations
and their safety and longevity of life must not be challenged
by a vaccine which has not yet been ascertained
of its lasting side-effects nor its lasting blessings;
it is the choice of people whether to take the vaccines
or give them to their children but it cannot be forced
or enforced for life seeks assurance of a healthy future.