In a press conference about the pandemic, Mike Ryan, director of Emergencies at the World Health Organization (WHO), was asked about the speech of President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) saying that the Ômicron variant would be “welcome”.
Although he said he was not aware of the Brazilian president’s statement, Ryan said that “no virus is welcome – especially when this mortality and suffering are largely ‘preventable’ with the proper use of vaccines.”
In a live this Wednesday (12), Bolsonaro said that the Ômicron variant would be a “vaccinal virus”. “They should even… according to some studious and serious people – and not linked to pharmaceuticals – say that Ômicron is welcome and can indeed signal the end of the pandemic”.
“Although Omicron may be less severe as an individual infection, that doesn’t mean it’s a mild disease. And there are a lot of people around the world, as we speak, in hospitals and in ICUs, on respirators, panting – which makes it very clear that it’s not a respiratory illness,” Ryan commented.
“There is so much we can do. This is no time to give up, this is no time to give in, this is no time to declare that this is a welcome virus. No virus that kills people is welcome,” he added.
Queiroga: Ômicron is a challenge for Brazil
Bolsonaro’s statement goes against the lines of Queiroga, issued at a press conference by the Ministry of Health, a few hours after this Wednesday’s live (12).
According to the folder, Ômicron represents a “challenge” for Brazil. According to the folder, 80% of the samples sequenced in the country are from Ômicron – which means that it is prevalent here.
Queiroga highlighted the efficiency of vaccination. “But the health systems have not been pressured, especially in populations that are heavily vaccinated”, points out the minister. He highlights that the country has already advanced with vaccination and “with public policies, the number of deaths from the coronavirus is decreasing”, he said.
Some states have begun to tighten restrictions to contain the increase in cases. Amazonas, Amapá, Pernambuco and São Paulo reduced the public capacity for events, and other states once again forced the use of masks in closed and open places.
*With information from Reuters and Ingrid Oliveira
Reference: CNN Brasil
