Social Listening Report Number 57: 11 July 2022
- Title
- Social Listening Report Number 57: 11 July 2022
- Type of Report
- Social Listening Report
- Date
- July 11, 2022
- Key Trends In the Report
- The national state of disaster was still lifted. The report highlited misconceptions that COVID-19 was over. Many individuals mistakenly believed that the lifting of restrictions signified the end of Covid-19, leading to reduced interest in vaccination. Despite reduced testing, global cases had surged by nearly 30%. While some welcomed the end of mask mandates, others continued to wear masks due to concerns about long Covid and flu season. Public education on airborne transmission and the need for ventilation was often met with mistrust and misinformation. A video of ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule admitting he hadn’t vaccinated sparked widespread discussion and reinforced vaccine hesitancy among some groups.
- Misinformation by Period
- Vaccines were claimed to be unnecessary especially after the restrictions were lifted. Misinformation circulated suggesting that vaccines caused infertility, which contributed to hesitancy, particularly among young adults. There were claims that vaccines contained tracking devices or microchips. Reports of myocarditis were misrepresented or exaggerated, leading to fear about vaccine safety, especially among youth. Statements from public figures, such as Ace Magashule admitting he hadn’t vaccinated, were used to justify anti-vaccine sentiments. Much of the vaccine misinformation originated from outside South Africa and was adapted to local contexts, undermining trust in routine immunisations
- Suggested Recommendations
- Authorities had been encouraged to reinforce trust in both Covid-19 and routine vaccines by addressing misinformation and promoting accurate health information. Even though regulations had been lifted, it was recommended that individuals and workplaces maintain safety measures such as mask-wearing and ventilation to reduce transmission risks. Media literacy programs were proposed to help communities identify and reject fake news. Clear and timely communication was advised to address public concerns about monkeypox and other diseases, ensuring that misinformation did not spread unchecked. It was suggested that ongoing monitoring of social media and public discourse be used to identify misinformation trends and respond with factual content.Strengthening support for healthcare workers and systems was advised to ensure continuity of care for chronic illnesses disrupted by the pandemic.
- Lockdown Level
- The National State of Disaster lifted
- Cumulative Cases
- 3 997 939
- Cumulative Deaths
- No Data
- Cumulative Hospitalisations
- 539 732
- Cumulative Recoveries
- No Data
- Number of vaccines administered for that week
- No Data
- Total number of vaccines administered to date
- 37 031 455
- Geographical Region
- Globally
- Curators of the report
- Herkulaas Combrink
- Charity Bhengu
- William Bird and Peter Benjamin.
- 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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