Global narratives on unequal outcomes produced by lockdown in Africa: A social science perspective on the “one-size-fits all” COVID-19 response

Abstract

IntroductionLockdown measures were introduced worldwide to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and several studies showed the positive impacts of these policies in places such as China and Europe. Many African governments also imposed lockdowns at the beginning of the pandemic. These lockdowns met with mixed reactions; some were positive, but others focused on concerns about the consequences of lockdowns.MethodsIn this article, we use social listening to examine social media narratives to investigate how people balanced concerns about preventing the spread of COVID-19 with other priorities. Analyzing social media conversations is one way of accessing different voices in real time, including those that often go unheard. As internet access grows and social media becomes more popular in Africa, it provides a different space for engagement, allowing people to connect with opinions outside of their own conceptual frameworks and disrupting hierarchies of how knowledge is shaped.ResultsThis article indicates which narratives were favored by different organizations, stakeholders, and the general public, and which of these narratives are most dominant in policy discourses. The range of narratives is found to be reflective of the blindness to inequality and social difference of much decision-making by policymakers.DiscussionThus, contrary to the “we are all in this together” narrative, diseases and public health responses to them clearly discriminate, accentuating long-standing structural inequalities locally, nationally, and globally, as well as interplaying with multiple, dynamic, and negotiated sources of marginalization. These and other insights from this article could play a useful role in understanding and interpreting how social media could be included in pandemic preparedness plans.

Pandemic Preparedness, Covid Collective Phase 2 Helpdesk Report No. 3

“…Social media and new technologies will likely play an increasingly prominent role in keeping people connected and (mis)informed, so awareness of infodemics and how to communicate key messages to populations are important (Grant and Sams 2023).…”

The centrality of (mis)trust in pandemic preparedness in Sub-Saharan Africa: a conceptual framework

“…Further fuelling rumours was the focus on the biomedical crisis that COVID-19 had created without considering economic and livelihood issues. By instituting lockdowns without fully considering the economic impact on poor, marginalised and vulnerable people, public authorities lost trust among the populations (Grant et al 2023). Another example of how these issues come together to manifest in reality is widespread reportage of vaccine fears.…”

“…Another example of how these issues come together to manifest in reality is widespread reportage of vaccine fears. To give a couple of examples, in Guinea the pumping of disinfectant in markets was thought to be pumping virus, and when a COVID-19 vaccine was announced, rumours circulated about conspiracies to depopulate the world, starting with Africa (Grant & Sams 2023, Leach 2014.…”

“…According to Rosemary Johnston, transdisciplinarity 'overtly seeks ways to open up thinking to "maps of unlimited possibilities"... to create mindscapes that are unfettered by traditional patterns and procedures' (Johnston 2008: 229-30). For example, generally during a disease outbreak the world prioritises health protocols above environment and economic considerations (Grant et al 2023). An example of the impact of not thinking in a transdisciplinary manner, and focusing on containing the outbreak is in Uganda where COVID-19 restrictions included many very restrictive and militarised lockdowns and forced hospitalisations, implemented in a context of political oppression surrounding national elections, and in which symptomatic Covid cases and local levels of mortality remained very low-thus damaging livelihoods and fuelling resentment and distrust amongst local populations (MacGregor et al 2021.…”

“…Securitisation, the use of military and harsh enforcements as well as war metaphors in political communications to the public appeared prominently during Ebola and COVID-19. For example in Malawi and Uganda, COVID-19 occurred alongside national elections and was layered with everyday mistrust in leaders, so people questioned whether health measures were connected to struggles for power, and open to manipulation by leaders seeking to avoid scrutiny or steal elections (Atuhura 2021, Grant & Sams 2023. If people do not already trust medical personnel and the government, it will be much harder, but still possible, to gain support for difficult policies, e.g.…”