BENGALURU: For nearly a year, this column has been discussing the myriad effects of the pandemic on our daily lives. While the rest of the world spoke about the dip in economies and productivity, Yours Truly decided to write about the smaller, unspoken effects of the pandemic, like the lack of haircuts, and the starving of stray dogs. Over the last month, the presence of two Covid vaccinations that have been approved in India have raised another point of debate among Indians. For months, we were waiting anxiously for the vaccine to arrive. And when they finally did, we are left asking ourselves – which vaccine to take.
I did some research and was pleasantly surprised to find that apart from cricket, India is also a powerhouse when it comes to vaccines. India is home to about 60 per cent of the vaccines produced in the world, and also helps a large number of countries reach their immunisation goals. While businesses and start-ups were still getting familiar with the ‘Make in India’ scheme, biotech companies have been following the precept for decades now.
I also learnt that India’s immunisation programme is the largest in the world, and India’s vaccines have been shipped to neighbouring nations like Maldives, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. For years, I thought India’s greatest export was Himesh Reshammiya. Even for a cynic like me, the above facts made me feel proud of our country.
For those living under a rock, India now has two vaccines ready for public consumption. The Covaxin – developed indigenously by Bharat Biotech, and Covishield – developed by the Serum Institute of India. In a parallel world, those names would never find a mention in a humour column. And yet, here we are!
Admittedly, I have no knowledge of science and technology. I once used a shampoo that had milk extracts in it, and a conditioner that had fruit extracts in it. I was worried that my hair might curdle up from mixing the two ingredients. As a layman to science and virology, I was happy that the vaccines were finally showing up.
But it was only when I began speaking to people for this column that I realised the varying responses to India’s vaccines. A lot of well-off, educated people were hesitant to take the vaccine as they weren’t sure about the after-effects of taking the doses. Others waxed eloquent about the vaccines and their efficacy levels and trial phases. But my favourite response was from urban folks who replied with ‘I don’t want to take the Indian vaccine; I’ll wait for the UK vaccine to arrive’. Listening to such responses, you’d assume we were not discussing a vaccine, but the latest iPhone model!
Yours Truly, dear reader, has always been a person who toed the line. When I was asked to stay home, I did. When I was asked to wear a mask, I duly complied. Now that the vaccine is out, I am fine with either of the vaccines. As someone who grew up in rural Odisha, my natural tendency is to take a vaccine when it is distributed in public.
I wish I could argue about the benefits and negatives of each of the vaccines. But I shall leave those debates to the experts, and stick to what I know best – poor jokes and deadly puns. After all the troubles brought about by a global pandemic last year, the vaccines are finally a…shot in the arm!