Vaccinate the World

 Remember we are all one family living on this earth, even when our ego- mind tries to convince us otherwise. 

Rebecca Jones

Hmm!  I am in a bit of an ethical dilemma.  I am booked for my third vaccine tonight.  I thought when I booked it, I was doing the "right" thing, that I was being socially conscious and proactive in helping to prevent the transmission of this virus.  I didn't really contemplate this action, so convinced was I of it being the right thing to do.  I didn't look into the science behind this .  I dismissed the thought in my head, "How does a third vaccine really help in the long run? It really doesn't make sense to me."  Told myself, if  it is being encouraged by public health officials, I will pull up my sleeve and get another shot."

Then I thought, just for an instant, "Man...isn't it wonderful, living in a time where we can get so easily vaccinated and have the means to put an end to a pandemic?"   I never thought further than that.

That is until I proudly told a public health nurse, whose opinion I greatly trust, that I was getting my booster .  She just nodded her head but she was definitely not all "Oh that's great!" as I thought she would be. 

I asked her, fearing her answer, "Do you have yours?' 

To which she answered, "No.  I won't get a third vaccine until most people in Africa have their first. I would not have gotten my second until then, but because I work as a nurse I needed it. "

I looked at her, not quite understanding what she meant and she explained something I would have discovered for myself if I took the time to be more conscious and concerned, to see beyond my own little spot on the globe. She informed me that only 10 % of Africans ( not talking about South Africa) have their first vaccine. 

Here we are in North America...pushing for a third booster that we are not even sure has any effect (you cannot rely on the studies down by the pharmaceutical companies that are producing and profiting from the vaccines)  and there are millions of people being affected by COVID 19 in Africa because they can't get their first vaccine.  Of course, it is more challenging to vaccinate such a huge continent that is more rural than urban, with temperatures that make sustaining the vaccines viability very challenging until it gets into arms...but man...what the heck are we doing?  

What Are We Doing? An Ethical Question

We are triple vaccinating  a select few adults in geographically selected  areas while many, many more, in other areas on the globe, are dying becasue they can't get their first .  We are even vaccinating children here...a population who do not get sick with COVID.  Why? To prevent transmission to adults who do.  Does that make sense? Is that even ethical?   We are producing and distributing enough vaccine unnecessarily, as a luxury,  in our selected communities that could initially vaccinate those who really need it elsewhere. Is that fair?

And is it helpful?  

This is a pandemic...meaning the whole world is affected. Sure there is this instinct to protect ourselves nationally first.  I can understand that to a small degree.  But we do not have walls around our better off countries that prevent the virus from getting through.  We are not living in bubbles. What is going on in Africa, will make its way here, as we have seen with Omicron. That is how pandemics work. In order to put an end to this pandemic, the whole world needs to be vaccinated. ...not just our individual little communities, countries, continents. And viruses being very, very adaptable and intent on surviving will mutate and mutate and mutate until they are eradicated. That is the nature of a virus. Omicron is not going to be the last strain we encounter , if we continue to hide in our national shells. If the world does not get more vaccinated...there will be another strain, and another and another.  This pandemic will go on and on. It is time to stick our necks out and see the need for change in our approach. 

Easier to Remain Unconscious

It was my hope and my assumption from the beginning  that someone, somewhere was looking after our third world countries, ensuring that the vaccines were getting there and into arms.  I understood the challenges but I thought...somehow, in someway, the whole world will get their first vaccine and then we will focus on getting the second into arms.  When the second came, I didn't check in to make sure that Africans had their first. I wanted to believe they did or at least they were on their way to getting it.  So I rolled up my sleeve for my second.  And when the "booster" was being encouraged I signed up...again...not thinking clearly  of others I share this planet with. 

Now I feel so guilty...I don't want to have a third vaccine that someone in some rural village in Africa desperately needs. I wanted to get vaccinated to make this pandemic better, not worse.  

Not Telling Anyone Not To Get Their Booster.

Whether or not we get our booster, is not the real issue here. This Public Health Nurse strongly, strongly encouraged me to get my booster, now that it is booked.   She explained how many vaccines  get wasted and thrown out because of cancellations or no shows. Imagine? The real issue is in our awareness. We need to be more aware of our inter connectedness with all beings on this planet! 

All this reminds me of this economic disparity that exists.  There is enough food to feed the world...yet so many starve to death while others eat to the point of gluttony and obesity. There is enough vaccines to vaccinate the whole world, yet here are some of us going for number three while others go without. And we are still wasting what others hunger for.

Hmm! I will go because I do not want to waste but I cannot go without first sharing with others what I sadly learned last night.  We need to vaccinate the world we are all a part of.  Even beyond the vaccination, we need to see beyond our isolated communities to the world at large...realize our inescapable  connection with one and other .  We are all one family living on this earth. 

All is well.