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COVID-19 Controversiesas Probable Influences on Whatsapp Users’ Dispositions to Take the Jab in Anambra State, Nigeria

Received: 7 December 2021    Accepted: 6 January 2022    Published: 20 January 2022
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Abstract

This study was necessitated by the different dispositions people Nigerians have towards taking COVID-19 jab. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, different sorts of news, both real, fake and even myth, have spread over the social media and in particular, WhatsApp social sharing network, leading to powerful controversies about the disease existence, prevalence, and vaccination. Many myths about COVID-19 vaccination have sprung up instilling fear and influencing opinions about taking the recommended COVID-19 jab. The study sought to use online descriptive survey employing Google form questionnaire instrument to find out whether the controversies surrounding COVID-19 and its jab had influence on WhatsApp users’ dispositions to take the jab. The study population comprised all resident literate adults in Anambra State, Nigeria who had access to WhatsApp social network. Major finding was that 85 percent of the participants were negatively disposed to take the jab as a result of the controversies surrounding it. The most prominent controversies observed were that the jab was developed in a hurry and therefore, a weapon of human destruction by Nigerian government to depopulate the masses. The researchers recommended that further vaccination should cease and massive media education/enlightenment campaign on the jab intensified to get favourable disposition towards the jab.

Published in Communication and Linguistics Studies (Volume 8, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.cls.20220801.12
Page(s) 1-9
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Coronavirus, Controversies, Pandemic, Jab, COVID-19

References
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[2] Akinyemi Kabiru Olusegun., Fakorede Chrisopher Oladimeji., Anjorin SAbdul Azeez., Abegunrin Rebecca Omotoyosi., Adunmo Olabisi., Ajoseh Samuel Oluwasegun & Akinkunmi Funmilayo Monisola. (2020). Intrigues and Challenges Association with COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria. Health, 12,954,971. https://doi.org/10.4236/health.2020.128072 1-6-2021.
[3] Broom Douglas. (2020). 5 charts that tell the story of vaccines today. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org 12-6-2021.
[4] Czopek Madison (2021). No, the COVID-19 vaccines are not weapons of mass destruction. Retrieved from https://www.politifact.com 12-62021.
[5] Dibie Michael (2021). COVID-19: Nigerians hesitant to get vaccinated. Retrieved from https://www.africanews.com 3-6-2021.
[6] Dollarhide Maya. (2021). Social Media. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com 1-6-2021.
[7] Goldsmith Elizabeth B. and Goldsmith Ronald E. (2011). Social influence and sustainability in households. International Journal of Consumer Studies 35 (2), 117-121. Retrieved from https://www.scholar.google.com 2-6-2021.
[8] Hudson Matthew. (2020). What is social media? Retrieved from https://www.thebalancesmb.com 2-6-2021.
[9] Huynh, G., Nguyen, TV., Nguyen, DD., lam QM, Pha. TN, & Nguyen HTN (2021). Knowledge about COVI-19, beliefs and vaccination acceptance against COVID-19 among high-risk people in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. Retrieved from https://www.dovepress.com 3-6-2021.
[10] John Janet. (2021). Only 15.8% of Nigeria’s population is active on social media. Retrieved from https://www.nairametrics.com30-5-2021.
[11] Kemp Simon. (2021). Digital 2021: Nigeria. Retrieved from https://www.datareportal.com 2-6-2021.
[12] Khan Anupriya. (2017). Social influence theory. Retrievd from https://is.theorizeit.org 4-6-2021.
[13] Kuznia Robert. (2020). The timetable for a coronavirus vaccine is 18 months. Experts say that’s risky. Retrieved from https://www.edition.cnn.com 10-6-2021.
[14] Leonard Jayne. (2019). Cognitive Dissonance: What to Know. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com 11-7-2021.
[15] Obenendenhealth (2021). COVID-19 vaccine: Debunking harmful myths. Retrieved from https://www.benenden.co.uk19-6-2021.
[16] Okafor Jerome O. (2011). The collage of functional health education for effective healthy decisionsand health promotion. Nigeria: J’Goshen publishers & prints.
[17] Ono Gloria Nneka. (2015). Assessment of NAFDAC media campaign to change consumers’ attitudes and behaviors towards food and medication drugs in South East Nigeria. An unpublished Ph.D dissertation, Dept of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
[18] Plan International (2020). COVID-19: Low public perception, compliance hampering school reopening. News and press release. Retrieved from https://www.reliefwed.int 07-05-2021.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Gloria Nneka Ono, Odionye Chinwe Mirian, Ogechukwu Okoli Nkiruka. (2022). COVID-19 Controversiesas Probable Influences on Whatsapp Users’ Dispositions to Take the Jab in Anambra State, Nigeria. Communication and Linguistics Studies, 8(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20220801.12

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    ACS Style

    Gloria Nneka Ono; Odionye Chinwe Mirian; Ogechukwu Okoli Nkiruka. COVID-19 Controversiesas Probable Influences on Whatsapp Users’ Dispositions to Take the Jab in Anambra State, Nigeria. Commun. Linguist. Stud. 2022, 8(1), 1-9. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20220801.12

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    AMA Style

    Gloria Nneka Ono, Odionye Chinwe Mirian, Ogechukwu Okoli Nkiruka. COVID-19 Controversiesas Probable Influences on Whatsapp Users’ Dispositions to Take the Jab in Anambra State, Nigeria. Commun Linguist Stud. 2022;8(1):1-9. doi: 10.11648/j.cls.20220801.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.cls.20220801.12,
      author = {Gloria Nneka Ono and Odionye Chinwe Mirian and Ogechukwu Okoli Nkiruka},
      title = {COVID-19 Controversiesas Probable Influences on Whatsapp Users’ Dispositions to Take the Jab in Anambra State, Nigeria},
      journal = {Communication and Linguistics Studies},
      volume = {8},
      number = {1},
      pages = {1-9},
      doi = {10.11648/j.cls.20220801.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cls.20220801.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cls.20220801.12},
      abstract = {This study was necessitated by the different dispositions people Nigerians have towards taking COVID-19 jab. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, different sorts of news, both real, fake and even myth, have spread over the social media and in particular, WhatsApp social sharing network, leading to powerful controversies about the disease existence, prevalence, and vaccination. Many myths about COVID-19 vaccination have sprung up instilling fear and influencing opinions about taking the recommended COVID-19 jab. The study sought to use online descriptive survey employing Google form questionnaire instrument to find out whether the controversies surrounding COVID-19 and its jab had influence on WhatsApp users’ dispositions to take the jab. The study population comprised all resident literate adults in Anambra State, Nigeria who had access to WhatsApp social network. Major finding was that 85 percent of the participants were negatively disposed to take the jab as a result of the controversies surrounding it. The most prominent controversies observed were that the jab was developed in a hurry and therefore, a weapon of human destruction by Nigerian government to depopulate the masses. The researchers recommended that further vaccination should cease and massive media education/enlightenment campaign on the jab intensified to get favourable disposition towards the jab.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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Author Information
  • Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

  • Department of Mass Communication, Edwin Clark University, Kiagbodo, Nigeria

  • Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

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