Vivek Sharma's Blog
March 26, 2021
Holi and the COVID-19 Vaccine
With the COVID-19 vaccination program being rolled out across the globe, a lot of people have apprehensions around the vaccine. Look up on the internet, and you’ll find that scores of conspiracy theories abound.
Some say there is a microchip in the vaccine, with Governments intent on monitoring their citizens. Another view is that the vaccines are designed to debilitate generations, and even programmed to render people impotent. A funny rumour doing the rounds in South Asia is that the vaccine is nothing but sewage water!
A couple of my colleagues were discussing on the repercussions of volunteering for the vaccine, and the possible side effects thereon. Their conversation went thus:
“So, what do you think, which vaccine should we opt for?”
“What makes you think they’ll offer us choices? However, if they do give an option, I’d want to avoid the Pfizer one. What if there are side effects? Say, what if I end up not getting an erection?”
“Ha ha, brother, in that case you must actually opt for the Pfizer one. Because even if there is that side effect you mention, Pfizer makes another medicine to solve that exact dysfunction!”
While this exchange was on a lighter note, people’s apprehensions and worries are a major cause for concern to health authorities, as often the lack of turnout means a wastage of opened vials of the vaccine.
My mother has recently taken the first dose of the India-manufactured vaccine. Out of curiosity, I asked her why is there a need for a second dose. Her explanation was pretty logical, “These vaccines have an efficacy of around 95%, so there’s always a chance one might contract the virus despite being administered a vaccine. We are seeing so many cases of that, aren’t we?”
“Now imagine stepping out of home on a rainy day,” she continued, “You’d most definitely carry an umbrella. But even with the umbrella, there’s still a chance of you getting wet! So, to reduce your chances of getting wet further, you’ll wear a raincoat. That raincoat, is the second dose of the vaccine. Again, one can get wet even with the umbrella and the raincoat. Hence, we must always be careful despite getting adequately vaccinated!”
I like how my mom draws analogies, to explain concepts better. I came up with an analogy to describe the vaccine to my 11-year old son Shlok. Shlok is also the subject of my recently-published book, “Shlok’s Dad”, which offers a father’s perspective of parenthood.
“Shlok, you do know the Indian festival of colours, Holi. Do you remember how you played Holi with family and friends in India?”
His eyes lit up and he replied, “Yes, we used to throw colour on unsuspecting strangers. Sometimes we didn’t even know that we had colour on our clothes, when we went and greeted our friends with a hug! It was so much fun, playing Holi back then. Nowadays we have to maintain social distancing.”
“Ah well, son, let this pandemic pass and we can hope to celebrate Holi like we used to. But do you know that even before letting you out from the door, your mother would rub oil all over your body, especially your face, neck and hands?”
“Now that you mention it, I do recall something like that. But why would she do something like that?”
“The oil, it helped ensure that the colours could later be washed off. Else, for the next couple of days you’d look comedic, dyed with a combination of different colours! So, the oil was something like what the COVID-19 vaccine would work. With the oil on, you could step out, unafraid of the colourful assault by your friends. Also, people unaware that they have colour on their hands and faces still couldn’t lend a lasting imprint of the Holi colours from their bodies to yours. Does that make sense?”
I smiled when he nodded, smug that I could draw an analogy to describe something in simple terms to my offspring.
Now that you’ve patiently read through to the end of my first ever blog post, I’d like to offer you a free gift. I am giving away the ebook version of Shlok’s Dad for three days, starting midnight PDT on 29 March ’21, till end of 31 March ’21. 29th March is when Holi is being celebrated in India this year. Being a Banker from India, 31st March also holds special significance to me!
Allow me to end this post with a famous line from a legendary Bollywood movie, Sholay. Asking his henchmen when the festival of Holi is being celebrated, the villainous Gabbar Singh spouts, “Holi kab hai, kab ha Holi?”
Some say there is a microchip in the vaccine, with Governments intent on monitoring their citizens. Another view is that the vaccines are designed to debilitate generations, and even programmed to render people impotent. A funny rumour doing the rounds in South Asia is that the vaccine is nothing but sewage water!
A couple of my colleagues were discussing on the repercussions of volunteering for the vaccine, and the possible side effects thereon. Their conversation went thus:
“So, what do you think, which vaccine should we opt for?”
“What makes you think they’ll offer us choices? However, if they do give an option, I’d want to avoid the Pfizer one. What if there are side effects? Say, what if I end up not getting an erection?”
“Ha ha, brother, in that case you must actually opt for the Pfizer one. Because even if there is that side effect you mention, Pfizer makes another medicine to solve that exact dysfunction!”
While this exchange was on a lighter note, people’s apprehensions and worries are a major cause for concern to health authorities, as often the lack of turnout means a wastage of opened vials of the vaccine.
My mother has recently taken the first dose of the India-manufactured vaccine. Out of curiosity, I asked her why is there a need for a second dose. Her explanation was pretty logical, “These vaccines have an efficacy of around 95%, so there’s always a chance one might contract the virus despite being administered a vaccine. We are seeing so many cases of that, aren’t we?”
“Now imagine stepping out of home on a rainy day,” she continued, “You’d most definitely carry an umbrella. But even with the umbrella, there’s still a chance of you getting wet! So, to reduce your chances of getting wet further, you’ll wear a raincoat. That raincoat, is the second dose of the vaccine. Again, one can get wet even with the umbrella and the raincoat. Hence, we must always be careful despite getting adequately vaccinated!”
I like how my mom draws analogies, to explain concepts better. I came up with an analogy to describe the vaccine to my 11-year old son Shlok. Shlok is also the subject of my recently-published book, “Shlok’s Dad”, which offers a father’s perspective of parenthood.
“Shlok, you do know the Indian festival of colours, Holi. Do you remember how you played Holi with family and friends in India?”
His eyes lit up and he replied, “Yes, we used to throw colour on unsuspecting strangers. Sometimes we didn’t even know that we had colour on our clothes, when we went and greeted our friends with a hug! It was so much fun, playing Holi back then. Nowadays we have to maintain social distancing.”
“Ah well, son, let this pandemic pass and we can hope to celebrate Holi like we used to. But do you know that even before letting you out from the door, your mother would rub oil all over your body, especially your face, neck and hands?”
“Now that you mention it, I do recall something like that. But why would she do something like that?”
“The oil, it helped ensure that the colours could later be washed off. Else, for the next couple of days you’d look comedic, dyed with a combination of different colours! So, the oil was something like what the COVID-19 vaccine would work. With the oil on, you could step out, unafraid of the colourful assault by your friends. Also, people unaware that they have colour on their hands and faces still couldn’t lend a lasting imprint of the Holi colours from their bodies to yours. Does that make sense?”
I smiled when he nodded, smug that I could draw an analogy to describe something in simple terms to my offspring.
Now that you’ve patiently read through to the end of my first ever blog post, I’d like to offer you a free gift. I am giving away the ebook version of Shlok’s Dad for three days, starting midnight PDT on 29 March ’21, till end of 31 March ’21. 29th March is when Holi is being celebrated in India this year. Being a Banker from India, 31st March also holds special significance to me!
Allow me to end this post with a famous line from a legendary Bollywood movie, Sholay. Asking his henchmen when the festival of Holi is being celebrated, the villainous Gabbar Singh spouts, “Holi kab hai, kab ha Holi?”
