From Protest to Appreciation

I am a fortunate man with a history of “fortuosities.” As a youth I received vaccinations /inoculations for smallpox, diphtheria, poliomyelitis, measles and mumps; then, no complaints or even protests but lots of relief, gratitude, and plenty of praise for vaccine scientists and researchers. How we loved to compare with our classmates our smallpox scars or our swollen arms where needles had been poked. We knew that we wouldn’t grow up with a pocked or deformed face. Nor would we have a limp leg all of our life because we had the polio shot. Our heroes were the inventors of all of these marvelous protections against child and adult infirmities, pains and early deaths. We were protected from these debilitating diseases ourselves and from spreading them to others. It was parents, nurses, doctors, government agents and the press and radio that promoted vaccinations for everyone. Now, I applaud their efforts. I suppose there were some who resisted these modern medicines and preventative treatments. Nevertheless, many of us are alive today and generally healthy because of the magic days of shots and pokes in our arms and bums.
As an adult I have chosen to receive them for pneumonia, influenza, shingles and now Covid-19. Furthermore, I will continue to seek them when new pandemic and endemic-causing bacteria and viruses threaten our health and a possible painful and early death.

Ray Sheen, Taber