Coronavirus

Health Minister stays put after all

Luiz Henrique Mandetta Jair Bolsonaro Health Minister anti-vax coronavirus
Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta during a meeting with President Bolsonaro. Photo: Marcos Corrêa/PR

After several reports accounted for the firing of Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta (even his replacement had reportedly been picked), he will keep his job after all. At least for now.

Per weekly magazine Veja, the generals in Jair Bolsonaro’s cabinet have advised him against firing Mr. Mandetta.

On April 2, the Army’s Center of Strategic Studies published a report concluding that so-called “horizontal isolation” (restrictions on movement and commerce of the entire population), which the Health Minister defenses, is more effective than the so-called “vertical” approach to isolation, which focuses on only confining clusters of the population that are more likely to die or suffer severe damage from Covid-19: senior citizens, those with pre-existing conditions, or autoimmune problems — which Mr. Bolsonaro has preached.