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Article

COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout: Aspects of Acceptability in South Africa

by
Bent Steenberg
1,*,
Nellie Myburgh
1,
Andile Sokani
1,
Nonhlanhla Ngwenya
1,
Portia Mutevedzi
1 and
Shabir A. Madhi
1,2
1
South African Medical Research Council Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown 2193, South Africa
2
African Leadership in Vaccinology Expertise, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown 2193, South Africa
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Vaccines 2022, 10(9), 1379; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10091379
Submission received: 25 July 2022 / Revised: 18 August 2022 / Accepted: 19 August 2022 / Published: 24 August 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination Intentions)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Unprecedented in scale, immense COVID-19 immunization programs have been rolled out globally. This article explores aspects of hypothetical vaccine acceptability in Soweto, South Africa, shortly before such vaccines became available. Whereas hypothetical acceptance was normative, this has not translated into uptake today, which remains concerningly low in South Africa, especially in Soweto. For that reason, we mobilize anthropological concepts to analyze acceptance, hesitancy, and denial to gauge public proclivity to inoculate. We found that COVID-19′s haphazard mediatization generated a ‘field of suspicion’ towards authorities and vaccination, which, amplified by dis- and misinformation, fostered othering, hesitancy, and denialism considerably. Further, we demonstrate that stated intent to immunize cannot be used to predict outcome. It remains paramount during vaccination rollouts to unveil and address aspects detrimental to vaccine confidence and selectivity, especially in lower-income groups for underlying context-specific cultural, spiritual, historical, and socioeconomic reasons. Appropriate mediazation alongside a debunking of counterfactual claims is crucial in driving forward immunization.
Keywords: South Africa; COVID-19; vaccine acceptancy; vaccine hesitancy; vaccine denial South Africa; COVID-19; vaccine acceptancy; vaccine hesitancy; vaccine denial

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MDPI and ACS Style

Steenberg, B.; Myburgh, N.; Sokani, A.; Ngwenya, N.; Mutevedzi, P.; Madhi, S.A. COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout: Aspects of Acceptability in South Africa. Vaccines 2022, 10, 1379. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10091379

AMA Style

Steenberg B, Myburgh N, Sokani A, Ngwenya N, Mutevedzi P, Madhi SA. COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout: Aspects of Acceptability in South Africa. Vaccines. 2022; 10(9):1379. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10091379

Chicago/Turabian Style

Steenberg, Bent, Nellie Myburgh, Andile Sokani, Nonhlanhla Ngwenya, Portia Mutevedzi, and Shabir A. Madhi. 2022. "COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout: Aspects of Acceptability in South Africa" Vaccines 10, no. 9: 1379. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10091379

APA Style

Steenberg, B., Myburgh, N., Sokani, A., Ngwenya, N., Mutevedzi, P., & Madhi, S. A. (2022). COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout: Aspects of Acceptability in South Africa. Vaccines, 10(9), 1379. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10091379

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