The Ministry of Health has made assessments that Ômicron will become predominant in the country, based on the advance of contaminated products, and on the behavior of the previous variants.
Until this Wednesday (5), the federal government registers 170 confirmed cases of the new variant in the country and 118 under investigation. But there are internal government estimates that Ômicron is already responsible for 30% of those infected in Brazil, with the first cases having been registered in November last year. Currently, the largest number of coronavirus cases in the country is of the Delta variant, which spread rapidly around the world in the first half of 2021, assuming more infections than the previous variant, Gamma, which until then was the most devastating.
For members of the ministry, the new strain is also worrying, but unlike the previous ones, so far, it has registered a low number of deaths and hospitalizations. In other countries, such as Spain and Italy, the emergence of new strains has unleashed new waves of infection and death. In Brazil, with the advance of vaccination, despite the emergence of variants, the most serious impacts of the disease fell sharply.
The target of criticism, minister Marcelo Queiroga has told interlocutors that his statements have been distorted and that he assesses the risks of the disease on a daily basis. The minister has a situation room inside the cabinet, a more reserved space, with monitors and graphics showing the indicators of the disease by strain, age, and federation units.
This Wednesday, Queiroga announces the coronavirus vaccination schedule for children aged 5 to 11 years, after consultation and public hearing. Most of the people interviewed by the ministry opined that they are against the requirement of a medical prescription to apply the vaccination. The decision will be taken by the federal government and will be announced.
Reference: CNN Brasil
