South Africa
#CoronavirusSA: 'Fear-mongering must stop'─── 08:11 Wed, 13 Jan 2021
Fake news about the coronavirus has become a problem on social media.
Professor, Salim Abdool Karim, Chairperson of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19, says people need to stop fearmongering around the vaccine.
He says while no-one will be forced to take it, people must have the correct information.
"There are generally three groups of individuals who are hesitant about taking the vaccines," Dr Abdool Karim explains.
"The first group just don't know enough about it," he says.
Karim says the second group are concerned as a result of misinformation.
"They've been told something or read something that does not convey the information accurately."
Karim says the third group is those deliberately opposed to vaccines, called anti-vaxxers, and that they are the ones who often end up spreading the misinformation.
"It is that group which is quite small and uses social media and other platforms to promote their message," he says.
South Africa is expected to begin the rollout of vaccines this month.
