Infodemics Influence on Ikorodu Residents in the Era of Covid 19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study seeks to investigate infodemic in the era of Coranavirus among Ikorodu residents in Lagos Nigeria. Studies have been conducted to unravel the effect of Coronavirus, its causes, and media coverage but there appears to be a paucity of literature with regards to people’s perception of infodemic in in the wake of COVID 19 pandemic. It is on this background that this study seeks to know how Nigerians had been influenced by infodemic in Coronavirus era. The Agenda Setting theory and the uses and gratification theory provided theoretical springboard to the study. The Survey method was adopted for the study. Ikorodu North, Lagos Nigeria was purposively selected among the five Local Council at Ikorodu, 100 residents were selected using a simple random sampling. Results were analyzed in frequency table format and percentages, the discussion done qualitatively. Findings from the study indicate that there was panic as a result of infodemic due to diverse information during the disease outbreak but Nigerians are willing to be vaccinated irrespective of the mal-information mainly circulated on social media about the rumoured danger of the vaccines. The Government, the media and relevant stakeholders, the NCDC, the minister for health and commissioner for health were able to manage information in the era of Coronavirus mostly the right information regarding persuading Nigerians to be vaccinated. The study recommends the need for Government and relevant agencies to engage the necessary stakeholders in Nigeria in producing vaccines and liaise with World Health Organization, the foreign nations in making the vaccines available.