Brazil's Attitude Towards the Pandemic Poses a Serious Threat to the Region
by Martina Pantano , May 14, 2021
The President’s Discourse
President Jair Bolsonaro’s attitude towards the pandemic has been worrisome and dangerous. For over a year now, he has been softening the severity of the crisis and ridiculing necessary measures. The examples are endless. In May 2020 he called coronavirus ‘a little flu’. In July, while sick with Covid-19, he praised hydroxychloroquine, a drug proven ineffective and dangerous for its deadly side effects.
The Brazilian government’s policies and attitudes towards the pandemic have deepened the already severe political polarization between the President’s supporters and the opposition. His supporters are taking Bolsonaro’s claims seriously and have challenged social distancing measures. On the contrary, many citizens have criticized and protested against the government’s handling of the pandemic. Likewise, President Bolsonaro’s attitude towards vaccines has affected public opinion. After calling them “experimental vaccines with no scientific evidence” in January 2021, 17% of the population will refuse immunization, according to a recent survey.
The P1 Variant
The new Covid-19 variant has emerged in Manaus, northern Brazil. According to the experts, this new variant has proven to be more contagious and able to reinfect people who had already suffered from the illness. It is fuelling a deadly outbreak in the South American country, which has recorded on April 6 4,000 deaths in just 24 hours. As of April 8, Brazil has accumulated 13.2 million cases and 341k deaths. As a result, it has become a global epicenter, being placed second for most Covid-19 deaths after the United States..
Further, the country’s sanitary system is suffering from the worst crisis in history. 27 states are above 80% of ICU capacity. In São Paulo, the health system has already collapsed, with many patients dying while waiting for intensive care.
More:
https://globalriskinsights.com/2021/05/brazils-attitude-towards-the-pandemic-poses-a-serious-threat-to-the-region/
