“Life or death for a young child too often depends on whether he or she is born in a country where vaccines are available or not.”
-Nelson Mandela
Amidst the current adverse scenario of the dreaded crowned “COVID-19”- a phrase that is now initiating gooseflesh throughout the globe; it becomes imminent for inoculation and subsequent immunisation to set in and prevent further spread. Very often the question arises, “Should I get vaccinated?”. As a matter of fact, tech giant, Google, released its report stating that one of the most trending search was, “how to make COVID-19 Vaccine at home.” Amidst this desperation to protect ourselves, it becomes a paramount question of “Should immunisation be made mandatory''. Through the means of this informative-cum-opiniated essay, I wish to address the pros and cons of legalisation of immunisation and consequently express my opinion about the same.
A suggestion becomes a fact, if given a legal status. Throughout the world, the legislature is given much importance, and so are its decisions. In India too, we made it legal to ban polyethylene bags-it was done; we made it legal to eradicate Polio- it was done. So why not make inoculation legal and let this Covid-19 rest in peace, out of this world?
Number of casualties left after the Covid-19, in the USA, were exponentially greater than those left after Pearl Harbour; so technically, if Japan faced a retaliation of Atom Bombs, why shouldn’t we retaliate against this virus by making vaccination legal and mandatory.
Also, the case of immunisation being mandatory is not limited to the horizons of Covid-19; Immunisation for all the pathogenic diseases should be necessary. None of the parents would like their children to get infested with the Poliomyelitis Virus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Clostridium tetani and many more pathogens.
For instance, in all 50 US states, it is mandatory for children over five to receive vaccinations prior to enrolment in state licensed public schools. Immunisation makes us realise our true potential, as also delineated by the acclaimed proverb “Health is Wealth”.
After all, immunisation and vaccination is for our benefit and well-being, and is not an oppressive policy being coerced upon us.
On the contrary, by taking a glance on the flip side of the coin, makes us realise that at the end of the day, mostly everything should be dependent on our decision- whether we want something to happen or not. It is shameful to express yourself as a democracy while at the same time coercing and forcing laws.
Seeing through some people’s perspective, I may not want vaccination, not because I admire getting infected or I want to boast in front of COVID that I am stronger, but because vaccines and other medication have their side effects. People face partial paralysis, anaphylaxis, brain impairment and other major symptoms and effects. Genuinely, parents would not want their children to be vaccinated at the cost of their children themselves.
Several other medications, if given to children, have high probability of causing mental retardation. By considering the aforementioned, it makes little sense in mandating immunisation.
In my opinion, both facts should be considered simultaneously. I personally favour both, though in the ratio of 80% to 20% or 4:1. Immunisation should be made mandatory and legal, but only after layers and layers of pre-commercialization tests and only after being >95% certain on its outcomes and side effects.
“A dollar spent on a childhood vaccination not only helps save a life, but greatly reduces spending on future healthcare.” -Ezekiel Emanuel
