O Globo suggests Lula ‘look out for unvaccinated people’

In an editorial published on Monday (2), O Globo newspaper defended that the Lula government (PT) is conducting research to identify unvaccinated people with the aim of raising awareness and encouraging them to be vaccinated. The idea is to “take advantage of the moments when the citizen is in contact with the agents of the state”, or even go to the “homes of the families” concerned.

– It is necessary to encourage the population to vaccinate. Not only through advertising campaigns, but in an active way: going to the homes of families or taking advantage of the moments when citizens are in contact with state agents, whether it is registering for benefits, looking for a health unit, enrolling in a public school, or getting Passport or compulsory military service report. The magazine defended that no opportunity was wasted to convince those who are resistant or indifferent that vaccines are reliable and help avert deaths or dramatic consequences for life.

In the text, O Globo describes the decline in vaccination coverage during the Bolsonaro (PL) government as “scary.”

– In the polio vaccine, it decreased from 84.4% in 2016 to 70.9% in 2021. In the first dose of the MMR vaccine (against measles, mumps and rubella), from 95.4% to 74.8% in the same period. In pentavalent (against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenza type b), the decrease was from 89.3% to 71.4%. For most viruses or bacteria, coverage must reach 95% or more for a population protection level to stop the spread of disease – says the paper.

The editorial also notes that in the case of Covid-19, only 49.9% of the population took the booster dose.

– It is imperative that the new government put in place programs to catch Brazilians who do not get vaccinated, which puts them at risk of getting sick and dying from preventable diseases. Giving in to ignorance is an unacceptable setback – emphasizes O Globo.

Source/credits (cover photo): Photo: Dado Rovic/Reuters