Social Listening Report Number 76: 21 November 2022
- Title
- Social Listening Report Number 76: 21 November 2022
- Type of Report
- Social Listening Report
- Date
- November 21, 2022
- Key Trends In the Report
- The national state of disaster was still lifted. Many South Africans had dismissed projections of new COVID-19 waves as fearmongering. Despite rising case numbers and ICU admissions, some believed the pandemic was over or exaggerated. The national vaccine rollout had slowed significantly. At its peak, around 240,000 people were vaccinated daily, but this had dropped to roughly 5,000. Reinfection was reported to be more dangerous than initial infection, increasing the risk of both acute and long COVID. Social media and online platforms had amplified false claims, including conspiracy theories about Pfizer, vaccine shedding, and depopulation.
- Misinformation by Period
- It was falsely claimed that COVID-19 vaccines caused long COVID, heart attacks, infertility, and even death. Misinformation included claims that Pfizer was involved in unethical vaccine trials, and that Ebola vaccine trials were being used to depopulate Africa. Social media platforms and Google ads were used to spread false information widely. The COVID-19 pandemic had led to declining trust in childhood vaccines.
- Suggested Recommendations
- The RCCE Technical Working Group (TWG) had urged clear communication about national efforts to eliminate measles and polio. Parents and caregivers were encouraged to use the Children’s Road-to-Health booklet to ensure children were up to date with their vaccinations. As malaria transmission increased, the RCCE TWG collaborated with Limpopo province and stakeholders in the tourism and transport sectors. The RCCE TWG continued to promote the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, especially booster shots.
- Lockdown Level
- The National State of Disaster lifted
- Cumulative Cases
- 4 037 221
- Cumulative Deaths
- 104 514
- Cumulative Hospitalisations
- 545 117
- Cumulative Recoveries
- 3 932 707
- Total number of vaccines administered to date
- 37 926 953
- Geographical Region
- Africa (South Africa)
- Curators of the report
- Charity Bhengu and Nombulelo Leburu (NDOH)
- 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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