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There’s a deadly virus - would you sacrifice yours or your child’s life to create a vaccine?

109 replies

Theycallmemellowyellowyellow · 24/07/2026 18:03

I’ve been watching a really good series and this scenario came up.

Theres a deadly virus, catching the virus means certain death as well as the extreme likelihood that you’ll infect large numbers of people before you die.

You find out that your child’s is immune and is the key to creating a vaccine, but in order to do so your child would die during the operation.

Humanity and civilisation as we once knew it is finished due to the amount of people who have died and the humans that are left are merely surviving and trying to avoid becoming infected. But some people have created small communities and are living the best lives they can.

Would you be willing to sacrifice your child’s life in order to create a vaccine? Or what about your own life?

OP posts:
DontSayItsOver · 24/07/2026 18:19

It’s been years since I played it but wasn’t it like not even a decent chance of the vaccine working? Like 40%?

Backedoffhackedoff · 24/07/2026 18:14

No to either

when it comes down to it there is no way I would sacrifice my child for man kind and I would heavily judge anyone who would for being a crap parent.

minipie · 24/07/2026 18:14

Of course not and I doubt anyone would

I would allow medical procedures with limits if it would be helpful, eg taking blood maybe even plasma or bone marrow. But obviously not something that would kill them.

I wouldn’t sacrifice myself either if I was immune unless maybe if it was the only hope for my kids to survive. Even then, only if there was another parent who would look after them in my place. And tbh I think my survival instinct and doubt about whether it would really help my kids would probably stop me sacrificing myself in the end.

ToffeePennie · 24/07/2026 18:12

My own life? No brainer, absolutely.
My child? For my 12 year old I would ask him what he wanted to do and I would live with that choice, as much as I would want to say no.
My 8 year old? No way.

Theycallmemellowyellowyellow · 24/07/2026 18:10

nomas · 24/07/2026 18:07

The Last Of Us?

I wouldn't trust the ragtag hospital to harvest the cure, so I'd do a runner.

Yeah, I mean I wouldn’t have trusted that hospital either.

But even if I did I still couldn’t/wouldn’t sacrifice my child (I know she wasn’t his biological child but still).

I thought that it was such a difficult scenario though especially considering how many more lives were lost to save one person.

OP posts:
Palmtreesinthegarden · 24/07/2026 18:07

Absolutely not

nomas · 24/07/2026 18:07

The Last Of Us?

I wouldn't trust the ragtag hospital to harvest the cure, so I'd do a runner.

BrentfordForever · 24/07/2026 18:06

Nope

everthingisgoingtobefine · 24/07/2026 18:05

I would sacrifice myself but never my own child

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