The Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga, received the second booster dose against Covid-19 this Monday (6) in Brasília.
To the press, the minister spoke about the increase in cases of the disease in the country, the use of masks and the lack of supplies and medicines, such as dipyrone.
“There was an increase in cases, firstly because we live in the autumn-winter season, it is a seasonality, not only does Covid cases increase, but it can also increase other respiratory viruses, influenza, adenovirus, and in this somehow it caused pressure on the health system,” said Queiroga.
Brazil has again recorded an increase in the numbers of Covid-19 in recent weeks. Between May 22 and 28, the country had the worst epidemiological week of cases of the disease since March this year. In the first five months of 2022, 8,693,140 people were infected with the disease and 47,620 deaths were recorded.
The minister did not rule out the possibility of pressure from the health system, but affirms that the network is prepared. “In the last epidemiological week there was a 12% drop in the number of deaths. The virus continues, it mutates, the disease is not over, but the public health emergency is gone,” he said.
mask use
At least three capitals have again recommended the use of protective masks in closed places due to the increase in cases of Covid-19, according to a survey by the Ministry of Health. CNN Agency : São Paulo, Curitiba and Belo Horizonte.
“With regard to the use of masks, from the beginning we were against mandatory, but if people want to wear a mask, they can use it. If it had the efficiency we want, it would have to be used correctly,” said the minister.
According to Queiroga, masks must be used correctly, in order to guarantee protection against the disease.
“The type of mask, for example the N95 mask, this is the mask that protects the most, and it needs to be used correctly. But sometimes people use the fabric mask, the next day with the same mask, also the surgical masks, you have to change every 3 hours to be efficient […] So those who feel comfortable and want to wear a mask, let them do it,” he said.
Lack of supplies and medicines
In May, states and municipalities reported a lack of medicines and supplies. According to the National Council of Municipal Health Departments (Conasems), injectable dipyrone 500mg monohydrate, for example, was in short supply in all states.
At the time, the minister even stated, in an interview with CNN that the supply of medicines in the country was balanced and that occasional problems of delay in the delivery of these products were identified.
“Some drugs are having difficulties on the market. So, the government has acted with regulatory measures so that there is a normalization of supply. One of them is venous dipyrone, for example,” said the minister.
Queiroga stated that the federal government is monitoring the scenario and that the market will be able to adapt without intervention.
“The government is vigilant in relation to these issues, we do not want to intervene, we want the market itself to adapt to these issues, but if any intervention is necessary, it is possible to consider it. At the present time it does not have that perspective,” he said.
With information from Ingrid Oliveira, André Rosa, Douglas Porto, Carolina Figueiredo and Giulia Alecrim from CNN.
Source: CNN Brasil
