COVID-19 vaccine our only weapon, we shall spread the message: Youngsters

Nishant Bangera, Natalia Dalal, Faizal Sarvaiya and Malaika Castellino

Amid many memes and social media mirth the outbreak has inspired, one on WhatsApp said: ‘For the first time, children will be taking their parents for vaccination'. That funny but true WhatsApp message will be irrelevant with the government green-lighting vaccines for the 18-plus age group from May 1.

Empower us

Nishant Bangera, 29, who works in the environmental space and is founder of a youth organisation called Muse, said, "I think they could have opened this for young people a little earlier, but better late than never. For months now, we have had the opportunity to observe and glean information from other countries giving the jab to all. Vaccine is the most obvious weapon, so then we need to utilise it as effectively as possible." The Thane resident added that the vaccine, "will actually empower the younger set to take care of the elders. We have witnessed how youth is coordinating efforts to procure medicines, donate plasma and arrange donors. The jab for them will mean more energy and ability to do all this, besides of course safeguarding them," he finished.

Malad's Faizal Sarvaiya, 23, will use the few days in the run-up to the vaccine rollout for his age group. "I am going to use social media effectively to help get the ‘take the vaccine' message across for the 18-plus group. I will use the lingo we talk in and which is amplified in an online world to push for the jab, and puncture the opposing narrative," finished the model.

In sync

The jab is fab, sums up Parsi youth group Zyng's core committee member Natalia Dalal's philosophy. Dalal, 28, said, "This gives hope for a light at the end of the tunnel. While it is important to sift news and check for credibility, the youth is really connected here and has a lot of information because the world has moved online. So, though vaccines does not mean you throw caution to the wind, it does mitigate the severity of the disease." Dalal added that it was this group, "has been going the extra mile in this battle. The shot will just give us more strength to do so."

Legal eye

Malaika Castellino, 21, a law student said, "I agree with the steps taken by the government to vaccinate frontline workers before others. Yet, lawyers, interns and office staff should have been considered at least at the end of the list of frontline workers as courts had reopened physical hearings towards the end of 2020. Even as more people got the vaccine, young lawyers, interns and office staff were not eligible." Castellino added, "Many lawyers, interns and office staff were travelling by train and some of them did contract the virus. It was also usually the younger generation going out to buy groceries and supplies," finished the student.