WHO has criticized Brazil’s response to the advance of COVID-19: “If you don’t do it seriously, it will continue to affect the region and beyond.”

The Director of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, criticized the Brazilian government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday, whereas in recent weeks the situation in the South American country has deteriorated to the point of registering new death records this week.

At a press conference in Geneva, the head of the organization described the scenario as “very, very disturbing” and warned of the possibility that it transcends its borders. “If Brazil is not serious, it will continue to affect the whole neighborhood (the region) and more,” he said..

On a related note, while extrapolating the warning to the rest of the world, emergency program executive director Mike Ryan has spoken. “Now is not the time for Brazil or anyone to relaxHe said, referring to the fact that this week the downward trend in cases around the world – down for six weeks – has reversed.

“The arrival of vaccines is a time of great hope, but also a time when we potentially lose our focus,” he added.

Brazil is currently facing a brutal and prolonged second wave of the coronavirus, which hit a daily record of 1,910 deaths on Wednesday. The South American country recently passed 260,000 deaths, the second highest figure in the world just behind the United States. It also has the third highest number of positive cases reported, with nearly 10.8 million on Friday, by the Johns Hopkins University count.

The situation in the country has become a matter of global concern especially since the emergence of a new, more contagious strain of COVID-19, believed to have originated in the city of Manaus and accounts for a large part of the cause of infections and deaths.

The strain, known as P1, appears to be able to re-infect people who have been inoculated with the vaccine developed by Chinese laboratory Sinovac.

The information, taken from a small sample, suggests that the variant could have a viral load up to 10 times higher than the original. The researchers felt that in order to avoid transmission of the new strain, it may be necessary to apply a booster dose of this vaccine, updated for this variant or others that are presented.

However, the data is preliminary and will need to be confirmed by further investigation. In contrast, preliminary data from a study conducted by the University of Oxford indicates that the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca is effective.

The Brazilian government’s inaction to tackle the pandemic – President Jair Bolsonaro has played down the disease since its inception and strongly opposes any health measures – has sparked further criticism around the world over the risk it can train outside the borders.

In dialogue with The Guardian, Miguel Nicolelis, indicated that failure to prevent the spread of the virus could generate the creation of even deadlier variants that threaten vaccine effectiveness and the global capacity to fight the pandemic.

The vaccination campaign is also progressing slowly. As explained in The New York Times Vanessa Barbara, despite the country’s strong health infrastructure, vaccine distribution has been painfully slow and inconsistent and affected by shortages.

“The national program began on January 18, later than in more than fifty other countries, and at its current rate, it will take more than four years to complete. Some of the most important cities – like Rio de Janeiro and Salvador – have already had to suspend their campaigns due to supply problems, ”he explained.

He added: “To make matters worse, Bolsonaro not only used emergency funds to purchase and distribute unapproved COVID-19 drugs even after they were found to be ineffective, but he also rejected many offers of vaccine doses. In August, Pfizer offered Brazil 70 million doses, with delivery reportedly starting in December, but the government has shown no interest. The company made two other proposals without getting any results ”.

Last Thursday, Bolsonaro questioned restrictions imposed in many states to mitigate the spread of the disease, He urged “to work” and asked, “How long are we going to cry?”.

“I call on governors and mayors to rethink these closure policies. The people want to work ”, declared the president, then added:“ We will fight the virus, but not in this ignorant, ass, suicidal way ”.

Without mentioning at any time the increase in the figures of deaths and infections, which in the latter case already exceed 10.7 million in a country of 210 million inhabitants, Bolsonaro reiterated that he regrets “every death”, but just as he has done throughout the pandemic, he insisted it “is part of life”.

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