Trending - South Africa's imported 'infodemic'
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Recent surveys indicate that there might be rising scepticism about vaccines in South Africa. But
even before the coronavirus pandemic started, the Rainbow Nation was battling a tide of anti-vaccine misinformation online. And one study found that although there is a relatively small group of South African anti-vaccine activists, they are being bolstered by a wave of material coming from abroad.
We meet a pharmacist who has been tracking the alarming reach of that small group of hardcore anti-vaccinators for the last five years. And we hear how the country’s class system contributes to a big divide in willingness to take vaccines.
Plus we hear from the activists staging a fightback against the Covid-19 “infodemic”. Sarah is a mole in a number of anti-vax chat app groups and runs a pro-vaccine Facebook page aimed at countering their disinformation. But can she convince someone with questions about vaccines to actually get one?
Pres: Mike Wendling
Reporter: Jonathan Griffin
Additional production: Jack Goodman
Published on Saturday, 3rd April 2021.
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