How the COVID-19 Pandemic and Anti-Vaxxers Made Me Remember the Great Louis Pasteur

It has been some time since I got vaccinated for COVID-19. Yes, we're achieving herd immunity. Yet, what truly bothered me in 2020 was the rise of the anti-vaxxers. There was even this crazy British conspiracy theorist named Kate Sheminari. During the pandemic, I decided to do a review of Louis Pasteur himself. Today, we have the Institut Pasteur in France, an international center for biomedical research. One may say that Edward Jenner was the man behind vaccination. True, we had Jenner and his fight against smallpox. We might as well discuss Louis Pasteur, the man whose name is used for the word pasteurization.

I remembered watching a cartoon about Pasteur himself. It's often easy to credit Pasteur for milk. That's why I decided to get some milk tea after every vaccination. However, we need to credit Pasteur for the use of the attenuated microbes. It's said that his first vaccine used on humans was the rabies vaccine. Meanwhile, the experiment started with chicken and sheep. We always say we've got a herd of sheep. We often use the words flock and herd interchangeably. I guess that's why we use the term "herd immunity" for that reason. Pasteur vaccinated some sheep with the anthrax vaccine and some chickens with the cholera vaccine. Eventually, Pasteur decided to try and save a certain Joseph Meister with his first human vaccine.

Pasteur had to face a lot of ridicule concerning his study of disease. Today, we've got the anti-vaxxers and the proponents of raw milk. Raw milk is practically dangerous even if the milk wasn't produced through animal cruelty. I really wouldn't drink raw milk, not especially with all the diseases associated with it. Pasteur was a man who was born during a time of disease. Pasteur lost three children to typhoid fever. That's why Pasteur pursued his studies. Over time, Pasteur's discoveries would lead to the future development of vaccines. The use of attenuated germs was the start of the vaccination program.

Watching some documentaries about Pasteur was helpful. It gave me hope that a COVID-19 vaccine would be created. Today, we've got the mRNA vaccine used. Still, one should always thank Pasteur's discovery of attenuated for that. mRNA or messenger ribonucleic acid of the virus to help the body identify. Institut Pasteur has adopted the mRNA. If Pasteur were alive today, he'd still accept mRNA vaccines. Pasteur would still recommend the COVID-19 vaccine.

That's why I felt like getting a cup of dairy products after vaccination. I always felt celebrating my three vaccine shots with milk tea or a milk shake. It was to reward myself for facing the needle after many years I haven't been injected. Pasteur's discoveries would evolve beyond his grave. There are now modern methods of pasteurization and vaccine production. It's all because of this brave young scientist. Screw over the anti-vaxxers. Vaccination and pasteurization works!

Is It Just a Coincidence that Most Least Corrupt Countries, are Under the PARLIAMENTARY System?

It's easy to post an outrage on Facebook, whether it's on the Butthurt Philippines' Facebook page or Gerry Cacanindin's relatively open Facebook profile (except that only his friends can comment). I try to ignore the guy's page. I was wondering if Gerry has learned his lesson (that the Philippines badly needs a system upgrade) or if he still wants to believe that "It's just a matter if Leni Robredo or Vico Sotto." The latest Facebook post gives me something to think about: People often ask why some countries seem almost immune to corruption. As if their leaders are just magically more honest. But that’s not really it. The truth is actually simpler. These countries didn’t wait for good people. They built systems where doing something dirty is hard, risky, and usually not worth it. In the least corrupt countries, corruption isn’t just illegal but inconvenient. Paper trails are everywhere. Payments are digital. Contracts are public. Anyone can look up wh...

What? The Aquinos Aren't Part of a Political Dynasty?!

I was looking at the Mahal Ko Ang Pilipinas (I Love the Philippines) Facebook page, which made me laugh. This is what they wrote on their post saying that the Aquino Family isn't a political dynasty: THE AQUINO FAMILY IS NOT A POLITICAL DYNASTY 🇵🇭🎗 Pro-Duterte blogger Tio Moreno says that Bam Aquino is part of a political dynasty because the Aquino family is a political dynasty. But to me, this is not true. Why is it not true that the Aquino family is a political dynasty? 🤔 1. When Ninoy Aquino entered politics, none of his children joined him in his endeavors, and even his wife Cory did not join him in politics. 2. When Ninoy was assassinated in 1983, none of his children succeeded him in politics, not even his wife. But when the opposition and his supporters were looking to be the opposition's candidate for the presidency in the snap election called by Ferdie Marcos for 1986, his housewife Cory Cojuangco-Aquino was approached, encouraged or convinced by people t...

Lee Kuan Yew and Mahathir Mohamad: Just a Matter of Strong Leadership Without a Good System?

Jakarta Globe It's very easy to talk about how we need character change only, not a charter change. I say that having a charter change (better termed constitutional reform ) will lead to character change. The old saying of some boomers goes, "It's common sense that nothing is wrong with the system, just the people running the system." However, when I ask something like, "If that's so then why do other nations have better leaders? What about Mahathir Mohamad and Lee Kuan Yew?" Their answer is, "Well, that's proof that the system isn't defective, it's just the leader." This can also come from people who believe what Atty. Hilario G. Davide Jr. said that there's nothing wrong with the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines, that it's the "best in the world". The arguments are clearly illogical at best . Some say that the parliamentary system worked in Malaysia and Singapore because those heading it aren't corrupt. T...

Why Philippine Elections Can Be Compared to GAMBLING

Gemini AI Art Some time ago, I wrote an essay that Filipinos can expect to lose more money betting that people will vote wisely . It's time for the truth, and the inconvenient truth hurts now, doesn't it? I had Gemini AI create this new AI art of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. and Atty. Maria Leonor "Leni" S. Gerona-Robredo, at the casino, just to make a point. Sure, Bongbong shook hands with Leni in Sorsogon as a step for political reconcilation . However, such events should be considered more like random variables, such as getting your ball to land on a certain color and a specific number in a game of roulette. Let's define what a gamble means. The Cambridge Dictionary defines gamble as: to do something that involves risks that might result in loss of money or failure, hoping to get money or achieve success: The gamble of whether your candidate wins or not, because popularity is fickle It's effortless to say, "It's not rea...

My Experience with a Cataract and Laser Eye Surgery

What really scared me was when my left eye got blurred. At first, I was hoping it was just a dry eye. I had my check-up done. My worst fears were confirmed by my cloudy vision. I had a cataract but at age 37? It was pretty young. It was a developmental cataract or a developmental defect . I was told that there was no other choice but to have surgery. I was pretty scared. I decided it was time to really view cataract surgery and discover the amazing use of laser cataract surgery. It's a good thing I dismissed the bogus claims of cataract-dissolving drops. Above is a sample video of what was shown in the hospital. I was nervous at first about what could happen. Having been told by the doctor (and will not disclose further details out of respect for the doctor's privacy) that it'll take faster than the manual surgery was a relief. I was willing to spend more on laser surgery rather than have the bladed procedure. I could say I was scared of the bladed procedure. I heard that ...

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