Social Listening Report Number 80: 30 January 2023

Title

Social Listening Report Number 80: 30 January 2023

Type of Report

Social Listening Report

Date

January 30, 2023

Key Trends In the Report

The national state of disaster was still lifted. A Pretoria High Court application aimed at halting the COVID-19 vaccination programme gained significant traction online. International developments, such as Ted Cruz’s proposed bill to reinstate military personnel dismissed for refusing vaccination, and discussions around China’s pandemic response, also drew attention. Social media saw a surge in negative sentiment, with some users labelling the vaccination campaign as a “scam” or “genocide”. Anxiety grew around the planned vaccination of children aged 5–11 with paediatric Pfizer doses.

Misinformation by Period

Social media platforms were flooded with posts alleging that the COVID-19 vaccine programme was a scam or even a form of genocide. A court application in Pretoria aimed at stopping the vaccination rollout was misinterpreted by some as proof that vaccines were illegal or unsafe. International political developments, such as Ted Cruz’s bill in the US, were used to falsely suggest that South Africa should also reverse its vaccination policies. Videos and articles circulated online claimed that vaccines caused severe side effects, including death, without credible evidence. The planned rollout of paediatric Pfizer vaccines for children aged 5–11 sparked misinformation suggesting that children were being used as test subjects.

Suggested Recommendations

Create Childhood vaccine factsheet. Address claims COVID-19 is over, and provide information on COVID-19 side effects and long term effects. It was recommended that the Department of Health improve its communication efforts to counter misinformation and build public trust. The report advised involving trusted medical professionals and community leaders to help spread accurate information. It was suggested that clinics and vaccination sites be better equipped to handle demand, especially in areas reporting shortages.

Lockdown Level

The National State of Disaster lifted

Cumulative Cases

4 109 878

Cumulative Deaths

103 963

Cumulative Hospitalisations

For the period of 2023 in South Africa, there is no publicly released daily, weekly or even monthly continuing series of hospital admissions for COVID-19 through the DATCOV system after 31 December 2022. The NICD report states, "These daily COVID-19 hospitalisation reports have been discontinued from 31 December 2022". This implies that for 2023, hospitalisation data from that system are incomplete or not publicly reported in the same format.

Cumulative Recoveries

4 005 915

Number of vaccines administered for that week

8 634

Total number of vaccines administered to date

No Data

Geographical Region

Globally

Curators of the report

Charity Bhengu and Nombulelo Leburu

Health Systems Trust (HST)

NICD

University of Free State and Real 411

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