By Precious Onwumelu
“Na government dey put chip inside vaccine.” “My aunty took it and fainted for 3 days.” “If you take it, you can’t have children.”
Aproko Mataz has heard all the WhatsApp forwards, in my family group, in the market, and in the bus.
Here’s what we know: COVID killed people we loved, aunties, uncles, siblings, parents and breadwinners. The vaccines were rushed, yes, but they were also tested on millions. The side effects are real, but rare.
The controversy wasn’t just about science; it was about trust, trust in government that lied before. Trust in pharma that priced us out. Trust in “them.”
So, what now? Read from NCDC. Ask your doctor, not your barber, and don’t shame people for asking questions. Fear thrives in silence. Information kills it.
Whether you took it or not, the lesson is this: in the next pandemic, we need truth faster than rumors.
