Information overload, fakenews & misinformation on Social Media are responsible for the poor uptake of the COVID-19 Vaccine ~ Matthew Tegha

Information overload on social media has been identified as one of the key factors responsible for quantum of fakenews, misinformation and disinformation regarding the COVID-19 Virus and COVID-19 Vaccine uptake.

This was disclosed by Social Media Influencer, Content Developer and CEO of MTB Multimedia, Mr Matthew Oyerinde Tegha, who featured on a Special COVID-19 Awareness Program aired on Thursday 21st April 2021 on KT FM 103.9, brought by Comrade Friday Bako, with support from the MacAuthor Foundation and the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD).

While speaking on the Topic “How Social Media Influencers can Promote COVID-19 Vaccines Uptake” Matthew Tegha noted that if the right kind of information is not passed, people will always form their own kind of information which leads to misinformation and disinformation.

According to Matthew Tegha, young people who form majority of social media users regularly use the social media as their means of communication, means of reacting business or even engage people for political reasons are social media influencers, as such this category of person identified are critical opinion moulders in changing the narrative about COVID-19 because they are able to reach people beyond the shores of their sphere.

He called on social media influencers not to share false information, charging them to instead lend their voiced to promote the right information especially as it relates to COVID-19.

He advised the public to contact physicians and other health professionals whenever there are doubts before taking any action regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine.

He added that mistrust between citizens and Government is responsible partly for level of uptake of the COVID-19 Vaccine. This according to him is attributed to the way and manner Governments in Africa managed the whole issue, especially how palliatives were managed by Government. He called for more efforts to build trust among citizens towards government and government policies especially as it relates to COVID-19 Vaccine uptakes.