M.I.A. is currently under fire for a series of anti-vaxxer posts that go against current scientific consensus.
As scientists are rushing to develop a vaccine in an effort to curb the global coronavirus outbreak, the rapper took to her Twitter earlier today to reveal that, "if I have to choose the vaccine or chip I'm gonna choose death — YALA" — a reference to her 2013 song of the same title, which stands for "You Always Live Again."
If I have to choose the vaccine or chip I'm gonna choose death - YALA
— M.I.A (@MIAuniverse) March 25, 2020
M.I.A. then went on to double down on her position in her response to the subsequent backlash, explaining that her son previously experienced serious side effects from receiving vaccinations.
Yeah in America they made me vacinate my child before the school admission. It was the hardest thing. To not have choice over this as a mother. I never wanna feel that again. He was so sick for 3 weeks then Docs had to pump him with antibiotics to reduce the fever from 3 vaxins https://t.co/dJPHUe2Qmg
— M.I.A (@MIAuniverse) March 25, 2020
"It was the hardest thing. To not have choice over this as a mother," she said. "I never wanna feel that again. He was so sick for 3 weeks then Docs had to pump him with antibiotics to reduce the fever from 3 vaxins [sic]."
And while some vaccines can have possible side effects, as the CDC notes, it's a very rare occurrence and the greater good of widespread vaccination supersedes these risks. However, in a since-deleted tweet, M.I.A. argued that, "Most of science is in bed with business."
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"Business is in bed with banks, banks are in bed with tech, techs in bed with us, we're in bed with corona," she wrote. "Corona is in bed with science. So on...the best is prevention."
Naturally though, her anti-vaxx posts were met with ample criticism. From explanations of how vaccines work to plenty of jokes referencing her "Bad Girls" lyric, "Live fast, die young," many took issue with M.I.A.'s stance — especially given the timing. After all, as one commenter tried to put it, they're "at greater risk during this pandemic because of lung issues sustained because my parents didn't vaccinate me against the measles and I caught it as an adult."
I’m at greater risk during this pandemic because of lung issues sustained because my parents didn’t vaccinate me against the measles and I caught it as an adult. I lost a year of my life and it took five years for my health to stabilise. Vax your kids.
— sorrel (@Sorrelish) March 25, 2020
Live fast, die young, right?
— Dr. huguinho (@tsuu_gaku) March 25, 2020
Vaccines work by training the immune system to recognize and combat pathogens,either viruses or bacteria. To do this,certain molecules from the pathogen must be introduced into the body to trigger an immune response.
— ᴹʳᴹᴿᶠ⁸ (@mrmrf8) March 25, 2020
They basically give your body a "memory" of how to fight them.
For her part though, M.I.A. seemed unfazed by the pushback, dismissing these legitimate concerns by writing, "Don't panic you are ok. You are not gonna die."
"You can make it without stressing the medical systems. Just breathe. You are going to be ok. You can make it through without jumping in the frying pan. You are fine. All the vaccines you've already had is enough to see you through," she continued, before concluding, "Have a healthy life. Don't live in fear!"
Don't panic you are ok. You are not gonna die. You can make it without stressing the medical systems. Just breathe. You are going to be ok. You can make it through without jumping in the frying pan. You are fine. All the vaccines you ve already had is enough to see you through.
— M.I.A (@MIAuniverse) March 25, 2020
Have a healthy life. Don't live in fear!
— M.I.A (@MIAuniverse) March 25, 2020
Photo via Getty