Vaccine or no vaccine A critical analysis on how information on COVID-19 vaccine is communicated in Namibia

Main Article Content

Theresia Mushaandja
Sylvia Ithindi

Abstract

The current paper analyzed articles on the COVID-19 vaccine as reported and communicated by Namibian newspapers in order to understand the vocabulary, expressions and information sources used by the selected Namibian newspapers when covering and disseminating the COVID-19 vaccine related information. The purpose of this article was to analyze the COVID-19 vaccine information as reported and communicated by Namibian newspapers. The researchers compiled a database of newspaper articles mentioning the COVID-19 vaccine from two local newspapers, The Namibian and the New era, between January and June 2021. In total, 14 articles from the two newspapers were purposefully selected. The articles were analyzed using content analysis. The findings of the current study contributes to the timely needed informed discussion on issues surrounding COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccines specifically. The study concludes that there is (urgent) need for the Ministry of Health and Social Services to be consistent in issuing hands on statements timeously to the public at every step of the crisis/pandemic development.  This should also be done in local languages to ensure that the public is not confused and misinformed by conspiracies, propaganda, fake news and unverified information.

Article Details

How to Cite
Mushaandja, T., & Ithindi, S. (2023). Vaccine or no vaccine: A critical analysis on how information on COVID-19 vaccine is communicated in Namibia. Namibian Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Communication Studies, 16(2), 77–90. https://doi.org/10.59677/njlc.v16i2.9
Section
Articles
Author Biographies

Theresia Mushaandja, Namibia University of Science and Technology

Dr Theresia Mushaandja is a Lecturer in the Department of Communication and Languages, at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). She holds a Ph.D. in English Studies (Applied Linguistics and Communication). Her main research interests include stylistics, healthcare communication, indigenous languages and knowledge systems, language revitalisation and planning as well as multilingualism. E-mail: tmushaandja@nust.na

Sylvia Ithindi, Namibia University of Science and Technology

Dr Sylvia N Ithindi is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Communication & Languages, at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). She holds a Ph.D. in Humanities Education from the University of Pretoria. Her main research interests include students' reading habits, language teaching approaches, and the usage of multiliteracies pedagogy. E-mail: sithindi@nust.na

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