Asked about measures to be taken in Brazil to prevent the spread of the new strain of coronavirus across the country, the Ômicron variant, President Jair Bolsonaro (no party) said this Friday (26) that he does not “have the power to decide”, but he said he had discussed a possible mandatory quarantine for Argentines traveling to the country by plane.
“You have to prepare. Brazil cannot stand a new lockdown. It’s no use getting scared. I spoke with Admiral Barra (Torres), who is from Anvisa, I spoke with Ciro (Nogueira), who is the Chief of Staff, discussing Argentina,” he said.
“Anyone who comes here by car from Argentina, no problem, whoever comes by plane has to spend four days in quarantine. Carnival, for example, I won’t (make a decision). I don’t have command (of decisions) in the pandemic. I did my part and continue to do it. The decision was given by the Supreme to the governors and mayors”, Bolsonaro said to the press during a military event in Rio de Janeiro, this Friday afternoon (26).
The president did not make it clear whether he supports or opposes the eventual quarantine of the Argentines.
Bolsonaro was in Rio this Friday afternoon to participate in the celebration of the 76th anniversary of the Parachute Infantry Brigade, in Vila Militar (north of Rio) and to honor four groups whose graduations are completing 25 and 50 years.
Ômicron variant
The B.1.1.529 strain of the new coronavirus was classified as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) this Friday (26). The decision is the result of an urgent meeting called by the WHO working group on Covid-19. In the statement, WHO also defined the technical name of the new variant: Ômicron.
Identified in multiple countries, according to the WHO, the strain has worried scientists for having many mutations that can confer advantages to the virus. The strain has been found in South Africa, Botswana, Hong Kong and Belgium. So far, there are no records of the variant in Brazil.
Second survey carried out by CNN in the afternoon of this Friday (26), at least 20 nations had already announced total or partial blockades to travelers coming from southern African countries.
(*With information from CNN Brasil)
Reference: CNN Brasil
