Covid Jabs Do Have A Side Effect: Vaccine-Envy

Super Power: Infectious disease consultant Dr Kirti Sabnis (in black) had to get her son a toy ‘shield’ to compensate for the jab she received

- Mohua Das

Eighteen-year-old Nitant Pandya, the youngest in his family and usually the more pampered of them all, suddenly found himself navigating a new normal — of not getting his share — when the gift of life arrived for the rest of his family last month.

When the vaccine rollout turned the tide for healthcare workers for whom the past 10 months have been gruelling, Nitant was “happy” to see his family immunised. Yet, the newly disenfranchised teenager couldn’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy after everyone in the Pandya household — his grandfather and father (both doctors); his mother (a hospital administrator); and his sister (a medical resident) — received the jab of joy except him.