A magical land and a cruel reality: where do anti-vaxxers come from and where do they go later

Nikolay Yakubenko, medical worker

I recently learned that a magical land really does exist! That this is not fiction at all and not fairy tales for children. Adult uncles and aunts in all seriousness believe in it and act as reputable magicians and wizards from this country tell them.

All my adult life I have believed in science and progress. In what is reality, there are causal relationships between various phenomena that form this very reality. This is what I am used to in my work in the ambulance. But life is such a heartless bastard... It presents surprises.

Recently, my friend began in all seriousness to assert that with the help of vaccination the special services are chipping the population. Wiretapping, total control and all that. I was quite surprised by this concept and asked him a counter question: why should the special services bother so much, if we already constantly carry smartphones with Internet access, smart watches and a bunch of different devices with which it is very convenient to follow a person. And to inject chips through injections, and even to millions of people, is too expensive and difficult.

But arguments from "real" life do not apply to the fairy land. They are watching - period! Because they are. The bad ones.

Then I suggested that he be consistent and honest with himself. If you really believe in something like that, hand over the phone. Right here and now. Surveillance is serious! You can't give the secret services a single chance! It didn't work. Probably, I am not imbued with magic enough or I do not understand something in it. But the research of the wizarding world did not end there, because this topic is interesting.

Take, for example, a man who seriously believes in the wizarding world with all its expert magicians. And this person had a medical problem (which one is not important). The conditional therapist from the clinic gives him a decision - to take the conditional pill three times a day before meals for a week.

But a person is a resident of a magical land and does not take the prescribed pill. Why doesn't it? Because an authoritative expert from YouTube, tiktok and other magic academies told him that this pill is evil and in no case should it be taken. And his friends and colleagues are the same. So he does not accept. And for some reason, magic potions and rituals do not help ...

And he seems to be doing everything right, by magic. But the sore does not go away, and the problem is not solved in any way, but only gets worse.

The problem is that it is physically impossible to get an appointment with an "expert" from a magical land. They do not meet personally with their followers, but only "direct" them in the "right" direction. It is very convenient! Giving advice over the internet is one thing smartly. But in reality, it is completely different to receive a patient, make a diagnosis, prescribe treatment and bear a very real criminal responsibility for this!

For sorcerers from the world of magic, it is unacceptable to bear real responsibility for their words. Therefore, they run from real responsibility (which can easily turn into criminal responsibility) even faster than the devil from incense.

Therefore, such a "spiritualized" patient is forced to go to see the most common doctor from the clinic. Never magical, but real. Where to go?

This is followed by a dialogue:

- Did you take the pill?

- No...

- Why?

- The great magician and astrologer from YouTube said that your pills were bad and therefore did not take.

- So go to that magician to be treated! Why did you come here?

This is fantastic, of course. All doctors are very polite and cultured people, no doubt about it. But if you decide to go your own, "alternative" way - be responsible for it. Myself. And don't complain later.

Prescribed drugs may or may not be taken. You can be a supporter of an "alternative" point of view - but then bear full responsibility for your choice! And poking your finger and referring to "authorities" from the Internet is useless. Because they are all fabulous and have little to do with reality.

And then such an "alternative" person ends up in a covid hospital in the intensive care unit and his life has to be saved. Exceptionally material, rational. Without shamanism and other witchcraft.

On every call with pneumonia, presumably covid-associated, I ask patients - have they been vaccinated? During the entire time of the pandemic, I have never met a "yes" answer. Maybe I'm just so lucky? Or maybe these people could have avoided such grave consequences for their health if they did what the official medicine tells them, and not all sorts of "shamans" with "wizards".