Coronavirus

Jair Bolsonaro’s most effective public health policy so far

There is finally some good news out of Brazil! The death toll is almost at the 10,000 mark, the total number of cases is fast approaching 150,000, and the public healthcare system has collapsed in a handful of states. And if that wasn’t enough, the Health Ministry has failed to deliver most of its promised tests, funding, and equipment to states. Moreover, the real number of cases might be over 4.2 million cases

But there is some good news! We are happy to report that the government has launched a new competition in which children will compete to make the most creative protective masks. The contest was created by the Human Rights Ministry to raise awareness about the importance of wearing protective masks.

Human Rights Minister Damares Alves. Photo: Anderson Riedel/PR

Three lucky winners will have the honor of traveling to Brasilía and having breakfast with First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro. The three winners will be selected by a panel carefully selected by the government.

While some critics have called the contest “a dull effort” against the worst pandemic in a century, it might well be the best-organized initiative put forward by the Brazilian government since the coronavirus arrived in Brazil.

Perhaps, President Jair Bolsonaro and his cabinet should be encouraged to take part in the competition as they seem to have forgotten the importance of wearing protective masks of late.

Benjamin Fogel

Benjamin Fogel is a Ph.D. candidate in Latin American History at New York University and a Contributing Editor to Jacobin Magazine.

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