Online Attitudes to Covid-19 in Yemen
According to Oxfam ‘evidence is mounting that a second wave of Covid-19 is already underway in Yemen, with a 22-fold increase in recorded cases in recent weeks.’ This, at a time when it is feared renewed fighting will force thousands to flee to safety.
Facing down potential famine, intense fighting in Marib, the arrival of the rainy season (which is likely to reignite the threat from cholera), we look at how Yemenis are responding to the threat of Covid-19 on online platforms.
Online communications campaigns run by ARK in Yemen over the past 8 months have shown numerous attitudes to the pandemic inside the country. The key narratives however can be split into five key categories.
1. Vaccine Hesitancy
Of more than 30k Yemenis polled on Facebook, a majority said they would not take the vaccine if it was offered to them. There was no conversation amongst commenters about vaccine brands and hesitancy towards one or multiple vaccines. Instead, the comments rejected use of the vaccine altogether, either without explanation or for reasons including: the virus not existing; Allah providing the only protection needed; and mistrust in the safety of the vaccine – or more specifically in those creating and administering it.
2. Covid and Faith
The overwhelming response to all ARK run Covid-19 campaigns in Yemen related to religion and religiosity. Many commenters said that faith in Allah would be sufficient to protect against Covid-19. Some commenters offered specific prayers that would help to protect people from the virus, while others suggested that those who suffered at the hands of Covid-19 lacked true faith and were being punished. This was an interesting response because these comments suggest that the commenter does not dispute the existence of the virus, rather the suggested response to it. From this we can infer that despite many Yemeni commenters saying the virus was not real, not all Yemenis agree that the virus does not exist.
3. Covid and Ramadan
A prevalent conspiracy theory seen in comments online related to Covid-19 being created and used as a way to stop Muslims in Yemen properly adhering to Ramadan and more specifically an attempt to stop people praying together in mosques.
4. Stigma attached to Covid
Given the number of people commenting that the virus didn’t exist, it was interesting to see that when asked if they had contracted the virus a high number commented that they, or people they know had been unwell with what they believed to be Covid-19. Some comments also suggested that people had had Covid-19 or at least symptom but had subsequently lied to the community about it. This could suggest that there is a stigma attached to contracting the virus, and this may be connected to the arguments seen in campaign comments about the virus being a punishment for lack of faith.
5. Healthcare
Yemen’s health system, battered by six years of war and economic collapse are not equipped to respond to a sharp rise in the number of people being admitted to healthcare facilities with severe Covid symptoms. Where hospitals, doctors or healthcare were discussed online, many Yemeni commenters displayed a deep mistrust in the Yemeni healthcare system. Several commenters talked about the lack of healthcare infrastructure available in the country, while others complained about the cost and corruption in hospitals and amongst doctors.