covid Flashcards
What was Brazil’s initial response to COVID?
in the early stages of the pandemic, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro downplayed the severity of COVID, referring to is as a “little flu” and expressing scepticism towards lockdown measures
this denial may have then been key to allowing COVID to spread so rapidly throughout Brazil
despite the rising number of cases and fatalities, Brazil faced challenges in implementing strict lockdown measures due to socioeconomic factors, political considerations and resistance from some sectors of society
as a result, there were instances where restrictions were eased prematurely, leading to further spread of the virus
what DIRECT strategies did Brazil use when dealing with COVID?
brazil launched a nationwide vaccination campaign to inoculate its population against COVID-19, prioritising healthcare workers, elderly individuals and other high risk groups initially, before expanding eligibility to the general population
as of Jan 2022, Brazil had administered over 300 million COVID-19 vaccine doses. by this time approximately 76% of the population had received at least one dose and around 56% were fully vaccinated
brazil significantly increased its testing capacity throughout the pandemic. by Jan 2022, the country had conducted over 200 million COVID19 tests. additionally, contact tracing teams worked to identify and trace contacts of confirmed cases, helping to contain the spread of the virus
what INDIRECT strategies did Brazil use when dealing with COVID?
Brazil implemented social assistance programs to mitigate the socioeconomic impact of the pandemic on vulnerable populations
one of the main programs was the Emergency Aid which provided financial assistance to informal workers, low-income families and other vulnerable groups affected by the pandemic.
the programme distributed monthly payments ranging from 600 to 1200 BRL per individual. Between April 2020 and Jan 2022 it reached over 68 million people.
Brazil invested in capacity building and healthcare system strengthening to enhance its ability to respond. by Jan 2022 Brazil had increased its ICU bed capacity by 40% compared to pre pandemic levels with over 58,000 ICU beds available nationwide
Brazil engaged in international collaboration. participated in initiatives such as COVAX.
how did levels of development affect Brazil’s ability to respond to COVID?
brazil’s development level played a role in its varied response to COVID 19
socioeconomic disparities, healthcare infrastructure and governance challenges influenced the effectiveness of mitigation strategies
high levels of inequality and limited access to healthcare in certain regions, especially in the Favela, hindered a uniform response, impacting Brazil’s overall ability to mitigate the impact of the pandemic effectively
what role did pharmaceutical TNCs play in Brazil’s response to COVID?
pharmaceutical TNCs in Brazil played a pivotal role in mitigating the COVID a pandemic by developing and providing vaccines and treatments
collaborations between these corporations and the Brazilian govt aimed to ensure the availability of vaccines and medical resources
however, challenges such as vaccine distribution, affordability and equitable access persisted, reflecting the complexities involved in mitigation
e.g. Moderna, Astrazeneca and Pfizer. these companies engaged in collaborations and agreements with governments, including Brazil, to supply vaccines
How did the UK respond to COVID?
incrementally introduced further restrictions. first national lockdown 23rd March 2020
across the country, localised lockdowns, social distancing measures, self-isolation laws and rules on face masks introduced
what direct strategies did the UK use to respond to COVID?
vaccination campaigns initially for high risk groups
testing and tracing (widespread, at test centres then at home kits)
travel restrictions - quarantining for incoming travellers
what indirect strategies did the UK use to respond to COVID?
ockdowns -> reducing contact between people. very effective
remote learning/working from home
what international strategies did the UK use to respond to COVID?
coordinating efforts across borders
sharing of resources and knowledge
implementing global guidelines
what national strategies did the UK use to respond to COVID?
tailoring response to specify country’s situations
adapts to cultural norms
considers healthcare infrastructure.
are international or national strategies better? (UK response to COVID)
the use of international strategies allows for the cooperation of ideas and resources
e.g. Oxford Uni played a key role in developing vaccines
use of international strategies allows ACs to send vaccination and aid worldwide to LIDCs who need additional support
however the use of national strategies can allow for a specific/targeted programme
national aid efforts mean that certain areas that need extra support can receive it.
how did levels of development affect the UK’s response to COVID?
coastal towns are already highly vulnerable - exacerbated by COVID
Boroughs in London, with healthier and younger populations, were less affected than other areas in London
more developed areas had higher incidence rates of COVID due to larger populations as well as increased neighbourhood effect
big cities with poor development eg. Glasgow were less able to combat COVID
areas with major airports were also greatly affected due to increased influx of people
