Searching for a cure

The news story about plasma therapy was the top story of the day, followed by the TB vaccine trial. Posts about plasma therapy and the TB vaccine trial were second and third by impact. 

People are searching for a cure for Covid-19, and medical experts are providing their opinion on what may or may not work.

Two posts sustained the narrative about African solutions and African unity. 

@AfricaRepublic said that Madagascar’s proclaimed coronavirus treatment had increased the recovery rate by 44%. In fact, recoveries had increased from 9 to 13 in 5 days, and the post fails to mention the total number of infected cases, or whether the people who had recovered had, in fact, used the treatment.

@AfricaFactsZone tweeted that South Africa was willing to partner with Madagascar to enhance their scientific research. The post was retweeted about 600 times. SA Minister of Health @DrZweliMkhize: “Our scientists would be able to assist with this research. We will only get involved in a scientific analysis of the herb. We are not at that point yet.”

The title of the most popular news story for the day was Why plasma therapy is not a miracle cure for the coronavirus. 

This story followed the announcement that Australia would begin plasma research therapy. This involves using blood plasma from recovered coronavirus patients as a therapy for those who become infected. The research is not unique to Australia, as scientists in France, the United States and China are already looking at using plasma therapies, according to the AFP.

MSN quoted medical experts as saying there was no “magic bullet” to deal with the virus. While plasma therapy is regarded as a way to help jump-start the immune system of those infected, it is still in early experimental stages and more rigorous testing is required before it can be considered an effective therapy.

As scientists and researchers explore all options to find remedies and cures for the coronavirus, researchers at Tygerberg Hospital in the Western Cape have begun to run trials of a 100-year-old TB vaccine on 500 healthcare workers. 250 were given a BCG booster while another 250 were given a placebo. Participants in the trial will be monitored for a year.

The premise for the research was that countries that have higher mortality rates because of the virus, like Italy and the US, don’t have universal BCG vaccinations. Theories of the BCG vaccine were widely circulated on social media prior to the trials. 

This conversation is being driven primarily by news reports.

Race hot buttons

The conversation around Covid-19 and financial relief is taking on racial undertones as many are emerging on social media to voice their opinions.

Four of the top 10 posts by reach included references to race.

The about-turn by Small Business Development Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni over using B-BBEE as a criteria to help distressed companies has left many small business owners angry.

This was aggravated by the High Court ruling allowing the Tourism Department to use B-BBEE as a consideration when dishing out R200-million in state relief for businesses affected by Covid-19. 

Trade Union Solidarity has approached the Constitutional Court to challenge the High Court’s ruling. They have also laid charges of perjury against Minister Ntshavheni for the about-turn on her stance that relief will be provided to all.

A video clip of a speech by President Cyril Ramaphosa stating “the growth that we have is inclusive… it must be empowering to women, to young people and to black people” has also been widely circulated on social media in a divisive manner. 

The conversation around Covid-19 relief has taken a polarising turn. 

In the fourth largest top post by reach, Afriforum Head of Policy and Action Ernst Roets tweeted a video clip of President Ramaphosa: “Imagine a state president hosting a press conference during a global pandemic, stating that government will use this opportunity to promote the interests of a certain race in the main.”

Many small business employers vented their frustration against the Government’s stance, alleging it is not providing relief to white citizens. Many are calling for a boycott of VAT and taxes, while others calling on white-owned businesses to retrench black staff and support white unemployed citizens. 

In one of the day’s top posts by reach, KZN ANC secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli said South Africans should be grateful that the ANC is in charge of the Covid-19 response and not the apartheid government, because “many of our people would have been wiped out”.

A racially-charged video showing a nurse in the US claiming that “hospitals are deliberately killing black people and then labelling it as Covid-19 deaths” is gaining traction in South Africa. DM

The Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC) is a non-profit organisation incubated at the Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town. The CABC stimulates positive social change through engagement, dialogue and advocacy.

www.cabc.org.za