Covid-19 Epidemiology Report Number 29: 02 December 2021
- Title
- Covid-19 Epidemiology Report Number 29: 02 December 2021
- Type of Report
- Covid-19 Epidemiology Report
- Date
- December 2, 2021
- Key Trends In the Report
- The disaster management regulations was on alert level 1. During December 2021, there was a decline in overall vaccine conversations on social media, but negative sentiment increased by 15%. There was increased opposition on vaccine mandates people started using the concept of "medical apartheid" and infringements on personal freedoms were at the centre of the anti-vaccine mandate discussions. There was increased social mobilisation against vaccines on social media platforms like Facebook and Telegram. There was misinformation and disinformation about various myths and false claims about vaccines such as vaccines cause infertility. The report highlighted increased violence against women during the pandemic and health issues like heart problems in women with long COVID.
- Misinformation by Period
- Medical Apartheid. Myths about vaccines leading to severe health issues or death. Government control conspiracies (population control). False information questioning the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing COVID-19. Alternative control misinformation. Booster shot confusion.
- Suggested Recommendations
- Promote Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPI). Provide clear communication about new COVID-19 variants to reduce fear and misinformation. Ensure responsible media reporting by engaging with the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF). Provide training for community members about COVID-19 and its vaccines.
- Lockdown Level
- 1
- Cumulative Cases
- 2 988 149
- Cumulative Deaths
- 89 918
- Cumulative Hospitalisations
- 439 125
- Cumulative Recoveries
- 2 850 905
- Total number of vaccines administered to date
- 26 281 082
- Geographical Region
- Africa (South Africa)
- Curators of the report
- National Department of Health
- Stakeholders
- National Health Hotline: Reports from the national call centre
- Org: NDOH Covid-19 WhatsApp system
- WHO Africa Infodemic Response Alliance (AIRA)
- UNICEF: digital analysis of content on Google, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, and digital news
- SA Red Cross: Network of over 2,000 community volunteers reporting misinformation and concerns.
- Real 411 Media Monitoring Africa: a mis- and disinformation reporting and debunking initiative
- COVID Comms: a network of communications specialists that produces information on the pandemic.
- DOH Free State & KZN: Provincial Departments of Health
- Health Systems Trust, Community Constituency Front (CCF),
- Health Enabled
- Centre for Communication Impact, Centre for Analytics & Behavioural Change
- Medical Research Council, National Institute for Communicable Diseases,
- SA Vaccination and Immunisation Centre, HSRC, DG Murray Trust, Right to Care
- Universities of Johannesburg, Cape Town, Free State, Wits, Stellenbosch, Sefako Makgatho
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