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South Africa's imported 'infodemic'

Episode 3 of 8

A study indicates that much of the anti-vaccine online content circulating in South Africa comes from abroad. How are female scientists inside the country fighting back?

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鈥檚 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 鈥渋nfodemic鈥. 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

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18 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Sat 3 Apr 2021 04:32GMT
  • Sat 3 Apr 2021 17:32GMT
  • Sat 3 Apr 2021 22:32GMT
  • Sat 3 Apr 2021 23:32GMT
  • Sun 4 Apr 2021 00:32GMT
  • Sun 4 Apr 2021 18:32GMT
  • Mon 5 Apr 2021 09:32GMT

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