Brazil fights against new wave of coronavirus: “There is tolerance to death” – Economic, financial and economic news

A dark feeling of already seen It is engulfing the largest country in Latin America, which is in the middle of a second wave of coronavirus even more intense than the first.

The daily deaths in Brazil hit a record high of 1910 last week,infections and intensive care rooms increase in many states reach a breaking point. The seven-day average of reported deaths in the country, compiled from state health service data, is about 30% higher than a peak in July in the first wave.

Scientists and health professionals believe that one of the factors behind the resurgence of the epidemic is the most contagious strain P.1, which, according to a preliminary study published last week, it can escape the natural immunity developed by people who have already contracted the virus.

More than 260,000 people have lost their lives to Covid-19 in Brazil, lsecond highest death toll in the world, behind the United States alone. And trminos per capita, in 22nd place, behind many European nations.

Experts also point out lack of preventive measures and vaccine rollout issues – which critics have attributed to the mismanagement of President Jair Bolsonaro’s government – that contributed to the deterioration of the situation.

Throughout the pandemic, the right-wing populist president has dismissed the severity of the virus, vowed not to receive a vaccine himself after recovering from Covid-19, and questioned the use of chin straps.

“Enough of the complaints and protests,” Bolsonaro said at an event last Thursday. “How long will the crying last?”

Luiz Henrique Mandetta – one of the former health ministers who was sacked by Bolsonaro last year after clashing publicly over how to handle the pandemic – said that the current situation is the result of “bad political decisions”.

Brazil is now focusing on Brazil again due to concerns over the Sars-Cov-2 P.1 lineage. – linked to an explosion of cases in the jungle city of Manaus and now detected in at least 25 countries – which according to the same scientific study it is about twice as transmissible as some other strains. Another preliminary document suggested that a Chinese-made vaccine being deployed in Brazil may be less effective in preventing variant P.1.

After emerging at the end of 2020, mutant variant P.1 quickly became the dominant strain in Amazonas state, according to the researchers. This coincided with a sharp rise in infections Manau, whose hospital system was overwhelmed earlier this year.

Although the precise national frequency of P.1 is unknown, public health experts say it has been combined with a widespread failure to observe social distancing in Brazil to drive the latest increase.

Another source of frustration is the pace of a nationwide immunization program. After a delayed start, Brazil administered at least a single dose to 8.1 million people, or 3.8% of its population of 213 million, according to a local media consortium. But the drop in stocks forced some city authorities to temporarily reduce injections last month.

The government hopes to boost the vaccination campaign with new supply contracts and an increase in national production. In the meantime, however, there is no indication that this leader who has prioritized keeping the economy open will change course and implement restrictions.

What the Bolsonaro administration is trying to do is get approval for an abridged version of a emergency coronavirus benefit which was popular last year. Bolsonaro is looking to increase his approval ratings ahead of the 2022 presidential election, analysts say.

The Brazilian Senate voted Thursday in favor of a new aid package of 44 billion reais (7 billion dollars). The proposal is expected to include four monthly cash transfers of around 250 reais ($ 44) to the poorest in the country.

“Bolsonaro wants to inject money into the economy in the hope that it will increase its popularity during the crisis. It has worked for him in the past, ”said Matas Spektor of Fundao Getlio Vargas, a think tank.

He added: “Brazil loses around 60,000 people to homicides each year and 70,000 die in car crashes on bad roads. There is tolerance in a country like this for death. “