According to the Africa Check, misinformation around the country has spread in various forms, including hoaxes, falsified content, misleading claims, and scams. Most of the information points towards cures and vaccines. The ecosystem of false information has also proved effective by adding to the believability of the claims.
In a world overrun with fake news and conspiracy theories, the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus ushered in a wave of global fear and doubt, especially on coronavirus vaccine. In this report, Jennifer Ugwa writes on how religious leaders’ perspective of the vaccine sways pentecostalist acceptance of the jab.
Less than two months after Kenya Catholic Doctors Association issued the statement that the vaccine is unnecessary because we already have effective treatment against COVID-19, the sitting chair of KCDA, Dr. Stephen Karanja died from the disease. KCDA is yet to comment on whether they maintain their stance against the COVID vaccine.
“Honestly, I doubted the reality of Covid-19 until I found myself struggling for breadth, headache and high fever,” Hassan said at the launch of ‘Covid-19 Heroes Campaign,” organised by the World Health Organisation
“Go and get your onions as many as possible. Get it and use it raw any day, anytime and any hour. Blend and use the water for protection...” says the message. However, there is no scientific evidence to validate that garlic and onion could prevent or cure COVID-19.
"During one of the daily Covid-19 media addresses in the country, Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr Mercy Mwangangi admitted that there had been a sharp decrease in the number of hospital visits, pregnant women included."
“Fake news would have killed me first before the coronavirus,” Kibet Rono, Covid-19 survivor says as he takes me through his recovery journey.
“I better take the vaccine than boiling black tea or doing any other thing that has not been verified that can cause me more harm. I remember when I drank black tea, I had to see a doctor because of my ulcers,”