Results Brazil’s national NPI response was the least stringent among countries analysed. In the absence of a unified federal response to the pandemic, Brazilian state policy implementation was neither homogenous nor synchronised. The median NPI was no stay-at-home order, a recommendation to wear masks in public space but not a requirement, a full school closure and partial restrictions on businesses, public transportation, intrastate travel, interstate travel and international travel. These restrictions were implemented 45 days after the first case in each state, on average. Rondônia implemented the earliest and most rigorous policies, with school closures, business closures, information campaigns and restrictions on movement 24 days after the first case; Mato Grosso do Sul had the fewest, least stringent restrictions on movement, business operations and no mask recommendation.

Published online June, 2021. BMJ Global Health

Background

Mexican state governments’ actions are essential to control the COVID-19 pandemic within the country. However, the type, rigor and pace of implementation of public policies have varied considerably between states. Little is known about the subnational (state) variation policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico.

Published online June 1, 2021.

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0251722

Mexico has the largest percentage of women with coronavirus that the nation from which the infection supposedly originated and is the third country with the largest record of defects in the American continent, only after the United States and Brazil, experts informed, who spoke about the measures of answers the pandemic.

During the webinar “National and subnational public policy responses in the pharmacological field for the 19-covid containment in Latin America” it was described and compared to the containment policies that have had countries like Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Argentina off the health emergency.

Los estudios del Observatorio realizados hasta la fecha muestran la importancia de analizar las INF subnacionales en lugar de simplemente tomar una medida agregada o asumir que las políticas nacionales se implementan de manera uniforme. Los patrones de respuesta subnacionales pueden ser medidas locales adaptadas o un indicio de una planificación nacional ineficaz y falta de coordinación.

Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in Latin America with a gross domestic product of around US$3500 per capita, health spending of approximately $220 per capita, a labour market dominated by informal work, and a weak health system. However, in the response to COVID-19, Bolivia has fared better than other health systems in the region and provides insight with regard to the implementation of subnational non-pharmaceutical interventions and supporting workers without social protection.

Read more: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(21)00001-2/fulltext

The Caribbean has been comparatively successful in managing COVID-19 from a public health perspective, able to seal borders as an island archipelago to achieve a measure of virus containment.

A heavy reliance on tourism, however, has left the Caribbean region exposed to severe economic downturn, widening inequalities in its society.

During this live webinar on November 19th, Sandeep B. Maharaj (Associate Dean Distance Education, Projects and Planning, Faculty of Medical Sciences Lectures & Coordinator Pharmacy Administration, School of Pharmacy, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine), Jan Yves Remy (Deputy Director, Shridath Ramphal Centre, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill), and Clive Landis (Pro Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Studies and Chair COVID-19 Task Force, The University of West Indies) analyzed the COVID-19-related situation in the Caribbean, including the current U.S.-Caribbean trade relations, the testing and mortality rates, and the capacity of public health systems. The presentations were moderated by Felicia Knaul (Director of the Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas and Professor of the Miller School of Medicine of the University of Miami).

The webinar was in English with audio simultaneously translated to Spanish.

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The Caribbean has been comparatively successful in managing COVID-19 from a public health perspective, able to seal borders as an island archipelago to achieve a measure of virus containment.

Join our speakers Sandeep B. Maharaj and Jan Yves Remy, along with commentator Clive Landis and moderator Felicia Knaul, as we discuss next Thursday the situation in the region and outlooks on economic and trade policy for future sustainable development of the Caribbean.

The webinar will be conducted in English with simultaneous translation to Spanish available.

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Latin America continues to be the global epicenter for COVID-19. With only 8% of the world’s population, it has 36% of average daily deaths.

Peru ranks 42nd in global population and 7th in COVID-19-related mortality, while Argentina ranks 31st in global population and 14th in COVID-19-related mortality.

During this live webinar on September 30th, former Argentinian Health Minister Dr. Adolfo Rubinstein and former Peruvian Health Minister Dr. Patricia Garcia analyzed the COVID-19-related situation in Latin America. They also emphasized how the pandemic has affected Argentina and Peru specifically, including the economic impact of COVID-19 on unemployment. The presentations by these health experts were moderated by Dr. Felicia Knaul, director of the Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas and professor of the Miller School of Medicine.

The webinar was in Spanish with the presentation slides in English. The audio in Spanish was simultaneously translated to English.

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Our researchers Felicia Knaul and Michael Touchton were quoted in the following article in Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger in discussion about Latin America’s situation in the current pandemic. The following text is a AI-produced translation of the original article, available here.

As if Corona had never existed

In many large cities in Latin America, people are behaving as they were before the pandemic. That Could lead to a public health disaster.

by Simon Widmer, 09/23/2020, 1:13PM

On the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, the pandemic appears to be over. At least in the minds of the numerous people who linger on the kilometers of coastline of Ipanema or Copacabana. Children build sand castles, adults bathe in the sun or play volleyball. Hardly anyone keeps their distance or wears a protective mask.

Even more mobile than before the pandemic

In other large cities in Latin America, too, people are behaving almost like they did before the pandemic. Professors Michael Touchton and Felicia Knaul from the University of Miami systematically evaluated movement data in the region . The data shows that in five Brazilian states, people are even more mobile than they were before the Corona crisis. “Also in the state of Amazonas, which is particularly badly affected,” says Michael Touchton.

This finding is in line with Bloomberg’s analysis . In São Paulo the cars back up again during rush hour, the traffic in Mexico City, which fell to around 14 percent of the normal level in mid-April, is now at 70 percent of the pre-Corona level. In Santiago de Chile, people move only 13 percent less than before the Corona measures.

Of course, the desire to return to a life without major restrictions is understandable. Many Latin American countries imposed severe lockdowns in March. For long months, citizens were only allowed to leave their homes when absolutely necessary. Many workers in the informal sector were faced with existential difficulties. You work without a contract, without unemployment benefit or health insurance.

Eight percent of the world’s population lives in Latin America, but the region has a third of the world’s infections and deaths. The previous opening steps were not accompanied by any accompanying measures. “Many countries have lifted corona restrictions without setting up the tests and contact tracing. That is potentially very dangerous, ”says Felicia Knaul.

The rapid opening has now called the World Health Organization (WHO) on the scene. WHO Regional Director Carissa Etienne is critical of the easing strategies in Latin America. The region has started to return to normal social and public life, although major interventions are still needed to contain the pandemic. “We have to be aware that opening it too early gives this virus more space to spread and puts our populations at greater risk,” says Etienne.

Felicia Knaul regrets that Brazil and Mexico are precisely the most populous countries with the worst health policies. Both Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his Mexican counterpart Andrés Manuel López Obrador have downplayed the dangers of the virus, she says.

Tourism as a risk factor

Bolsonaro continues to maintain that Covid-19 is no more dangerous than the flu, and propagates the drug hydroxychloroquine, whose positive effect against the coronavirus is unlikely based on current scientific knowledge. López Obrador recently said flippantly that only when there was no more corruption in the country would he also wear a face mask. At the beginning of the pandemic, he had claimed that his honesty and amulets, which he had received from his followers, would protect him.

Carissa Etienne sees another risk factor: international tourism, which many countries want to stimulate again. International flights from some countries to Colombia have been possible again since the beginning of the week. From October Edelweiss will be offering a direct flight from Zurich to Cancun , Mexico . Etienne warns that governments need to monitor tourist traffic very carefully, as reopening to tourism could lead to setbacks. This has happened in the Caribbean, where several countries with virtually no cases peaked after tourism resumed.

Disclaimer: All content translated here belongs to Simon Widmer and Tages Anzeiger. It has been translated using Google’s page Translate for ease of reading by our Observatory’s online visitors.

SEPTEMBER 30TH @ 1:30PM ET

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Latin America continues to be the global epicenter for COVID-19. Peru ranks 42nd in global population and 7th in COVID-19-related mortality, while Argentina ranks 31st in global population and 14th in COVID-19-related mortality.

Join our public health experts Dr. Felicia M. Knaul, Dr. Adolfo Rubinstein, and Dr. Patricia J. Garcia as we discuss next week the current situation in Peru and Argentina, outlooks for each country, and the overall regional context.

The webinar will be conducted in Spanish with simultaneous translation to English available.

Follow us on social media for more updates: Twitter @mia_umiami / Facebook @univmiamiMIA / YouTube Observatory of COVID-19 in the Americas