COVID-19 in Brazil: advantages of a socialized unified health system and preparation to contain cases

Resumo

The new Coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2, whose first cases emerged in Wuhan, China in late December, 2019 and quickly spread to other countries, was declared on January 30, 2020 a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization regional office for Europe. Even before the first COVID-19 cases were identified in Brazil, the country had articulated several measures ranging from the creation of ordinances and laws, to isolation and quarantine. However, the number of cases has increased significantly, requiring new measures, mainly to reduce mortality and worsening of cases. A socialized unified health system (UHS) and the fact that countries in Latin America were among the last ones with reported COVID-19 outbreaks have contributed to anticipated actions. Future outcomes will reflect this early preparation in a country in the Southern Hemisphere with major cultural differences with Asia.