In Brazil, the daily deaths due to Covid-19 made an all time record, of 2,286 on March 10, 2021. These are people who did not make it out of the hospital. This is four times as many people as four month ago. This is real and it is scary. Brazilian hospitals are overrun with new cases. When hospitals run short of equipment such as ventilators, more people die.
Deaths from Covid-19 in the world are trending down. Only about 1% of the world is fully vaccinated. The US is far head with 10% fully vaccinated. Brazil has fully vaccinated only 1.4%. of its 211 million residents. Note that reports of a 4% level of vaccination for Brazil is based on “one or more” vaccinations rather than the required two shots.
The progress in the world is likely a combination of vaccines plus stricter restrictions on travel and social gatherings in clubs, bars, restaurants, weddings, church sermons and family re-unions. Enforcement of mask wearing rules and social distancing I am certain helped reduce Covid-19 worldwide.
Brazil is going the wrong way in general, with the new record high. I predict by May, they will be averaging 2500 daily deaths, with fewer than 5% of the population fully vaccinated. Brazil accounts for 18% of all deaths from Covid-19 worldwide and may climb to 40% by May, 2021 (2500 in Brazil verses 6000 worldwide).
There is competition in the purchase of vaccines. Brazil is now looking at ways to increase the supply of vaccines from China (see links below), while three months ago, it was hostile to the idea of testing of Chinese vaccines in Brazil in return for additional supplies. The efficacy of Sinovac vaccine (Coronavac) was reported to be only 50%, but it was 70% in preventing moderate to severe cases, which is very good. The severe cases can result in death, particularly among my group (older males). From everything I’ve read, Brazilians are ready to take the vaccine, but the supply is extremely limited.
Because vaccines are never 100% effective, the wearing of masks and social distancing are still required. As long as there is a high rate of new infections, restrictions must stay in effect. Biden last night delivered a powerful speech, in asking the American public to take precautionary measures to prevent a new surge in new infections. Brazil needs to look on how it can best reverse course.
We will get rid of Covid-19 only by everyone’s action in every country in the world. There is no magic pill.
Stay tuned,
Dave
Links:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-brazil-vaccine-idUSKBN2B21Y8
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/biweekly-covid-deaths
(The bi-weekly data chart helps smooth out the data noise).
news and views 