The Biggest Challenge Of COVID-19 Vaccination Socialization Is Hoax

JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the COVID-19 Vaccination of the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Siti Nadia Tarmizi said the biggest challenge for socialization, education and acceleration of vaccination was the spread of hoaxes and misinformation related to vaccines and COVID-19.

"The biggest obstacle is misinformation and hoaxes. Along with the information we provide, hoaxes and misinformation are also increasing. Currently, there are 1,300 false information or hoaxes related to vaccines. This is a challenge," Nadia said at an online press conference, reported by Antara, Monday, August 23.

Furthermore, Nadia said that hoaxes and misinformation emerged in an emergent manner. According to him, this is the main challenge, and it is important for the public to be more observant and critical in receiving, receiving, and disseminating information.

"This is the main challenge, so that people want to check if the news is hoax or not," he said.

Nadia continued, the most widely raised issue in hoax narratives related to vaccinations is about side effects. "For example, after the vaccine, he becomes paralyzed, dies, until the body is implanted with a chip, and so on," he explained.

"When it comes to (hoaxes/misinformation) related to COVID-19, there are a lot, especially about COVID-19 medicines and after vaccinations such as coconut water, canned milk, eucalyptus oil, and others. and there is no need for masks. This is misleading if people then read about it," he added. Such hoaxes and misinformation, continued Nadia, could create doubts among the public to participate in vaccinations. "This makes people hesitate, because education and socialization have not arrived and do not know where to ask," he said.

Adding that the Director of Road Transportation of the Directorate General of Land Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) RI Ahmad Yani said that the increasingly massive socialization from the government and other related parties was expected to be able to reduce the misinformation.

"With the more we intervene and the Ministry of Health provides a fairly large and comprehensive socialization, it is hoped that over time the hoax will disappear. People actually want to be vaccinated, it's just that their needs are explained more," said Yani.

"This vaccination activity is an orchestra which aims to return to its original condition before the pandemic. This is a step that must be taken together. Apart from the government, the most important thing is the participation of third parties to encourage the acceleration of vaccination and the target can be achieved," he added.