More than half of respondents from Moldova (55%) plan to get vaccinated against COVID-19, and this percentage is higher than the average for respondents from other countries (43%). UNICEF Moldova, and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection of Moldova together with Viber conducted a survey among the audience of their communities. The survey involved 22 thousand users of the “Viber Team” community from Moldova, Russia, Armenia and Belarus, with 568 respondents from Moldova, IPN reports.

Almost half of the total number of respondents (48%) believe that thanks to the COVID-19 vaccines and the observance of preventive measures, the coronavirus will be defeated, and we will be able to return to normal life. In Moldova, this figure is even higher - 60%.

Also, a significant part of the survey participants (45%) cite the desire to protect themselves from severe forms of illness or death as the main reason for vaccination, and almost a third (32%) will get vaccinated to protect their loved ones. Three quarters of the respondents from Moldova chose these two answers.

The trust of Moldovans in vaccines in general (27.8%) does not differ from the average for other countries, but their trust in vaccines of certain manufacturers (30.5%) significantly exceeds the one from other countries (21.7%).

The results of the poll once again proved that instant messengers have long ceased to be just services for exchanging messages and impressions: every third respondent from Moldova receives information about vaccines from social networks (36%), and only every fifth from TV (22%).

“Almost simultaneously with the COVID-19 pandemic, the concept of infodemic emerged, reflecting the uncontrolled spread of rumours and horror stories about the virus and vaccines on social networks. Such messages can often be found in harmless chat rooms. This unverified information leads to increased stress in the population. In this context, it is especially important to unite, as Viber, UNICEF and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection of Moldova do”, said Anna Migal, senior director of business development at Rakuten Viber in Russia and the CIS.

Often such fakes appear in private and group chats, for example, in the "parents" chats of the school class. Then, if the rumor has become popular enough, it is shared on social networks.

“Without the right knowledge, people amplify the influence of misinformation makers and maintain the fake news ecosystem. The piggy bank of rumours about vaccinations and coronavirus continues to be replenished with new stories. And after reading on the Internet about the dangers of vaccines from COVID-19, parents may worry and hesitate when deciding whether to vaccinate their children against other common infectious diseases. All parents must be empowered to make informed decisions, but these rumors and misinformation is not the reliable evidence they need”, said Maha Damaj, UNICEF Country Representative in Moldova.

“Along with providing the country with the COVID-19 vaccine, we are conducting an extensive campaign to educate the public about its benefits. It is important that the public receives information from official sources about vaccines and the importance of vaccination. Vaccination is the only way to protect yourself from the virus and stop the pandemic”, said Denis Chernelea, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Health.

One of these channels with verified information is the community of the Ministry of Health of Moldova on Viber, vb.me/sanatate, with over 30 thousand subscribers. Also in the context of the already existing cooperation, in May 2021, UNICEF and Viber released the “Together Against the Pandemic” sticker pack, by downloading which users can subscribe to the official community of the Ministry.