We need an army of young South African myth-busters and change agents to affect a youth-focused approach to help flatten the curve, writes Dr Ramneek Ahluwalia.
Following South Africa’s first coronavirus case on March 5, President Cyril Ramaphosa has taken quick and decisive action to combat the spread of this deadly virus. But there is another killer that has reared its head during this time: misinformation about Covid-19.
What the World Health Organization has dubbed “a massive infodemic” has created a situation where science is questioned, and conspiracy theories thrive. Our knowledge of the virus changes almost daily: how infectious and deadly it is, incubation periods and treatment options. It can be argued that the sheer information overload driven mainly through social media, has blurred government’s communication efforts.
Data released in April by the Health Department shows that the second most infected group is people aged 21 to 30, following those between 31 to 40. Higher Health SA has historically developed a national army of peer educators at every campus community level to fight the stigma and myths on other epidemics such as HIV, TB, GBV, teenage and unplanned pregnancies among others. It is the same cohort of educated young South Africans that should be deployed for the Covid-19 myth-busting and de-stigmatisation battle.
To maximise on reach and effectiveness of the portal, all South African websites have been asked to host access to the coronavirus resource portal.
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