DURBAN – The top issues that people were searching regarding the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out vaccination programme were: the impact of unrest and looting on programmes in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng; excitement among the 35- to 49-year-old age group who were able to register for the jab; and mistrust in the government expressed on social media due to the unrest and level 4 lockdown.
This is according to the findings of the latest Health Department SA Covid-19 and Vaccine Social Listening Report.
The weekly report of Covid-19 queries, vaccine concerns, rumours and misinformation in South Africa is prepared by its Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Social Listening cluster.
It monitors engagement from platforms including its Covid-19 call centre, Covid WhatsApp system, the World Health Organization Africa Infodemic Response Alliance, provincial departments of health, digital analysis of content on Google, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, and digital news, Section 27, SA University portal systems, and the Covid Comms network of communications specialists that produces information on the pandemic.
The report noted that the Health Department call centre was inundated with calls, particularly due to concerns regarding missed appointments as a consequence of unrest.
The registration for over 35s was the stand-out Google search trend. Other concerns raised included equity of the vaccine roll-out and issues due to differences in technology familiarity or access, access to transport and difficulties for non-South Africa residents in registering.
The report also addresses misinformation and suggest recommendations.
The top key recommendations for this week were for: an increase of mobile vaccination sites; increased communication to people over 60, who according to the report showed a pattern of struggling to register through its technology portal; clarity on the policy and process to prioritise younger people with severe co-morbidities; and clarity on vaccination for people without identity documents or passports.
For the full report visit the SA Coronavirus website: https://sacoronavirus.co.za/2021/07/19/sa-covid-19-and-vaccine-social-listening-report-19-july-2021-report-10/
THE MERCURY