About 15% of respondents lost a family member to the disease and 34.9% remained unemployed during the pandemic
More than 28% of the Brazilian population, equal to 60 million people, suffer from it COVID-19according to the study “Epicovid 2.0: National survey to assess the real dimension of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil”, published on Wednesday 18th by Ministry of Health.
Among Brazilians who reported infection, 18.9% reported experiencing persistent symptoms, a condition that has become known as long covid. Mental health-related manifestations, such as anxiety (33.1%), tiredness (25.9%), difficulty concentrating (16.9%), and memory loss (12.7%), were the most prevalent.
The new study also found that around 15% of those interviewed had lost a family member due to Covid-19.
According to the Ministry, this is the largest population-based study on the disease in Brazil. Over 33 thousand interviews were carried out in 133 cities. The research is a continuation of Epicovid-19, which began in 2020, now focused on the ongoing impacts of infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Vaccine
Brazil has been disproportionately affected by Covid-19. When the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the disease no longer represents a public health emergency of international concern, in 2023, the country accounted for 10% of official deaths due to the disease in the world and was the second with the highest number of victims in absolute numbers.
Here the vaccination campaign against the disease has been marked by delays in the purchase and delivery of doses, as well as a wave of misinformation and false news that has gained ground, even among the authorities of the federal government.
In the survey, 57.6% of respondents said they trusted the vaccine. According to the study, 90.2% received at least one dose and 84.6% completed the two-dose regimen. Immunization was highest in the Southeast region, among the elderly, women and people with higher education and income.
Among those who have not been vaccinated, 32.4% said they did not believe in the vaccine and 0.5% did not even believe the virus existed. Another 31% reported that the vaccine could be harmful to their health. Due to its safety and effectiveness, vaccination against Covid is recommended by the WHO, the most important health authority in the world.
Income
Nearly half of respondents (48.6%) reported a reduction in income due to the pandemic. During the crisis, around 34.9% of participants lost their jobs and 21.5% stopped studying.
Furthermore, food insecurity, i.e. not guaranteeing daily access to food, affects 47.4% of the people consulted.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
