WITHOUT feeling the need to name the specific sardine from China, oops, I meant vaccines, that may have already been administered to the first batch of medical frontliners, and other brands that have still to arrive pending suitable arrangements between LGUs, the government and foreign suppliers, the whole affair (more like a hoopla) has indeed become “teleserye-ic,” because of its ridiculous TV drama-like arcs and poor acting
First, the prudish reaction by some quarters who proclaim that any dole out from China reeks of subservience belies the fact that earlier on, they have already solemnly professed to go all-out against any or all of the present administration’s moves, no matter what.
Already, threads on social media read like that of a cartoon strip, not like the ones filled with wit or gems of satire that we love, but just dumb convos filled with illogical premise and cheap intrigue.
Who would even think that this whole exercise of acquiring a vaccine against the deadly COVID-19 virus, at this point in time, was even about ultimately saving lives and not at all about their self-important politics?
Thus, a deluge of anti-vaccine testimonies, including those that came from several supposed-professionals themselves, began to make the rounds, like the routine a real medical doctor would do at a hospital, but this one on all media. In this case, the fact that there had been many netizens who cared to listen, is made clear when slowly, anti-China sentiments simultaneously began to tag along with anti-vaxx during his daily rounds.
While on one hand, part of that opposition believed that vaccines (and even covid) were nothing but an integral part of a huge global conspiracy, on the other were people who flatly refused a China-made vaccine, opting instead to wait for other brands from the US or Uk to finally land on our shores.
As an aside, this is almost amusing and ironical, but doesn’t that remind us of that guy named MacArthur who landed in Leyte long ago, to also ‘save’ us? As a finale of sorts, let’s waddle through this puddle so to speak, and look at a brief timeline.
When first announced that China was donating a vaccine, it was immediately interpreted by opposing parties as a payout of sorts. Eventually, their rejection of that development even branched out to the more offbeat questioning of the vaccine’s quality and efficacy because the vaccine was “made in China”.
Then, ongoing negotiations between health officials and vaccine suppliers abroad began to receive all kinds of flak from the same opposition (or was it), with accusations of anything under the covid sky short of corruption. At the same time in this atmosphere, a growing sentiment to refuse either China-made or any other vaccine began to come out from the mouth of social media.
Despite all, the vaccines finally arrive. Immediately, the early batch of medical frontliners got their shots. All is suddenly quiet, but for a while. Murmurs slowly arise but this time, it’s not even a question about being anti-vaxx, or anti-china anymore. Remember that soap opera-like atmosphere of many months back when mud-slinging and filth were in fashion? When is one going to get their shot, that has now become the question.
