Social Listening Report Number 31: 15 December 2021
- Title
- Social Listening Report Number 31: 15 December 2021
- Type of Report
- Social Listening Report
- Date
- December 15, 2021
- Key Trends In the Report
- The country was still on alert level 1. There was an increase in online conversations about COVID-19 vaccine certificates and Pfizer booster shots. Growing resistance to mandatory vaccine policies and misinformation about vaccine side effects. Misinformation claims that increased COVID-19 cases due to Omicron variant means that vaccines are ineffective. Official communications highlighted the highly infectious nature of the Omicron variant, contributing to the fourth COVID-19 surge, especially among people aged 30-50.
- Misinformation by Period
- The Omicron variant is caused by the vaccines. Vaccines are part of a satanic plan and linked to the number 666. Vaccine vouchers are a bribe to take a dangerous vaccine. Vaccines cause infertility and negatively impact sexual performance. Foreigners will be deported if they try to get vaccinated.
- Suggested Recommendations
- Clear communications are needed around new Covid variants. Use influencers who are vaccinated to share their experiences and encourage others. Consistently communicate updates about vaccine developments and what is known or unknown. Explain the effectiveness of the R100 voucher incentive, now increased to R200, and use testimonies to show its positive impact. Increase community talks to provide accurate health information on COVID-19 and vaccines. Conduct research on the impact of vaccine mandates on vaccination rates. Use social media to promote outdoor gatherings and good ventilation during the festive season.
- Lockdown Level
- 1
- Cumulative Cases
- 3 231 032
- Cumulative Deaths
- 90 226
- Cumulative Hospitalisations
- 452 125
- Cumulative Recoveries
- 2 949 209
- Total number of vaccines administered to date
- 27 566 209
- 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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