Stop vaccine conspiracy theories

Mmegi Editor | Friday March 19, 2021 22:04

The donation was received with mixed feelings by some sections of the society. The doses have made headlines in some Western countries for causing severe side effects. We do not know why this type of vaccine was targeted as majority of these vaccines, if not all of them, have side effects but we believe that these are big pharmaceutical wars. No vaccine is 100% safe.

And majority of people are busy spreading conspiracy theories as to why we should reject the vaccine. Now there are fears that the vaccine will cause death because some European countries have altered administration of this vaccine after 40 people reported blood clots formation in their bodies after taking it.

It should be noted that it is not only AstraZeneca which has been linked with blood clot formation after it was administered.

Therefore, we argue that to allay fears against the vaccine, the President and vice president should take the jab publicly as a matter of urgency.

Let’s guide social media pranksters

Recently members of Botswana Police Service (BPS) kept themselves busy arresting pranksters. This is despite the fact that these creatives are building harmless content. We do not know which sections of the penal code these hardworking youngsters have violated to warrant their arrest.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi has made the creative sector one of his priorities and surely the youth are coming to the party. They do not want freebies, but rather to earn an honest living. These are the people who keep us sane during these COVID-19 trying times. While the politicians are busy mismanaging our resources, the pranksters keep us laughing.

If they are wrong, let authorities guide them, not punish them. The Penal Code also needs to be reviewed because it is very open to abuse. They catch the youngsters then look for any charge to punish them behind bars or fine them to teach them a lesson. In our view, the police are on a fundraising mission and the Penal Code aids them.

They will even arrest youngsters for saying a certain individual has a prominent person’s resemblance. Why the police waste resources the nation entrusted with them boggles the mind. It is like they have wont he fight against hardened criminals but no, they are busy fighting pranksters for creating harmless content. The police should come in the open and tell the nation why they think pranksters are violating the law.

Today’s thought

“If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you’re old”

– Edgar Watson Howe