How Brazil’s President turned the country into a global epicenter of COVID-19

Abstract

In this manuscript, we point out that the federal government headed by President Bolsonaro has pursued a political agenda that contributed to the spread of COVID-19, transforming the country into a major repository for SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, thus representing a risk for worldwide containment efforts. Furthermore his actions are also weakening democratic institutions, which could counter his political agenda, effectively facilitating the spread of COVID-19. Thus, the perpetuation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil is due to human behaviour factors, especially high-level public decision makers.

Dynamics of COVID-19 in Amazonia: A history of government denialism and the risk of a third wave

“…Although politicians and media reports blame the second wave in Manaus on the new variant ( Ferrante et al, 2021c ), this politically convenient conclusion is not supported by our study. Modeled results with parameters for the “old” variant fit the observed cases and deaths in the second wave and are explained by the negligence of government authorities over the course of the pandemic [See Ferrante et al, 2020 , Ferrante et al, 2021c ].…”

“…Although politicians and media reports blame the second wave in Manaus on the new variant ( Ferrante et al, 2021c ), this politically convenient conclusion is not supported by our study. Modeled results with parameters for the “old” variant fit the observed cases and deaths in the second wave and are explained by the negligence of government authorities over the course of the pandemic [See Ferrante et al, 2020 , Ferrante et al, 2021c ]. The continued circulation of the virus in the population of Manaus may foment the emergence of still more new strains due to mutations (such as the K4174N mutation in the spike protein, which originated in the state of Amazonas) ( Ferrante et al, 2021c ).…”

“…The return of in-person classes was a strategy of the governor of the state of Amazonas (Wilson Lima) and the president of Brazil (Jair Messias Bolsonaro) to make Manaus reach herd immunity, as was declared by the vice-governor of the state ( Ferrante et al, 2021c ). Wilson Lima went so far as to declare that the state of Amazonas no longer had any reported deaths and that official government data contained gross errors that as had been pointed out by researchers from the director’s office of the Foundation for Health Vigilance (FVS) at a meeting organized by the Public Ministry of the State of Amazonas ( Felizardo, 2020 ).…”

“…Thus, both the beginning of the second wave of COVID-19 in Manaus and the emergence of the gamma variant can be attributed to the disastrous management by the governor, the president and the former minister of health (General Eduardo Pazuello), which included promoting the early opening of economic activities and the return of in-person classes that stimulated community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 ( Ferrante et al, 2021c ). Our results further indicate that the gamma variant caused two-thirds of the COVID-19 deaths in Manaus up to August 2021.…”

“…Our results further indicate that the gamma variant caused two-thirds of the COVID-19 deaths in Manaus up to August 2021. This proportion of deaths caused by the gamma variant can be extrapolated to the total deaths in Brazil, which on August 5, 2021 were officially over 559,000 but could potentially reach double this number ( Ferrante et al, 2021c ).…”