‘There Will Be a Post-Coronavirus World’

BY GENC MLLOJA SENIOR DIPLOMATIC EDITOR

“The priority of Brazilian authorities at national and local levels is to ensure all Brazilians in need of health care are properly assisted and, above all, to save lives,” has said the Ambassador of Brazil to Albania, Francisco Carvalho Chagas.

The Brazilian Ambassador highlighted that in an exclusive interview whose main topic was the coronavirus pandemic which has turned into a struggle even for Brazil with 210 million people and an area twice as big as the whole European Union. “In fact the peak of the pandemic in Brazil will coincide with the seasonal flu in the country. Bearing such a coincidence in mind, the 2020 Flu Vaccination started earlier. More than 75 million doses of vaccines against the flu have been distributed throughout the country. We expect to get around 67 million will be immunized. This will help to differ coronavirus cases from the flu,” said Mr. Chagas.

Further on he said that as all countries, Brazil expects negative economic effects from the pandemic and in this frame he mentioned some measures for mitigating the economic slowdown, protecting jobs, livelihoods and securing basic income for the most vulnerable. “The deadline for tax payment by small and medium enterprises has been postponed for three months; existing programs of poverty relief were expanded; and payment of retirees and social security beneficiaries was anticipated. Moreover, all informal workers will receive an emergency monthly assistance of approximately US$150 until the end of the national emergency. In the next few months, the public budget will invest US$ 27 billion in economic stimulus.” Regarding Brazil’s work on scientific research and development to overcome the coronavirus, the Ambassador unveiled two important achievements: the development of an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) device that adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from the bloodstream in a machine outside the human body (such as in hemodialysis), and the announcement by the National Laboratory for Scientific Computing that in less than 48 hours, 19 different genomes of the COVID-19 had been identified and sequenced from samples coming from different regions of Brazil. “The study by LNCC confirmed that most samples descended from viruses originating in Europe, while a smaller sample arrived directly from China.”

In a comment on the restrictions undertaken in Albania the Ambassador was of the opinion that the strategy of the local authorities to progressively adopt measures to deal with the pandemic had been successful. Initial difficulties to convince the population were observed in many countries. However, this was overcome. “Albanians now are aware of the seriousness of the situation and complying with the official guidelines. I am convinced that an important characteristic of Albanian society – the close family ties – certainly plays a crucial role in providing care and attention to the elderly, who are most vulnerable to COVID-19,” said Brazilian Ambassador Francisco Carvalho Chagas in the following interview:

Ambassador Francisco Carvalho Chagas: Thank you for the opportunity to share the Brazilian experience in the struggle against the coronavirus pandemic. With 210 million people Brazil has an area twice as big as the whole European Union. Our national health system, which provides universal care, is in charge of facing the challenges posed by the pandemic.

In fact the peak of the pandemic in Brazil will coincide with the seasonal flu in Brazil. Bearing such a coincidence in mind, the 2020 Flu Vaccination started earlier. More than 75 million doses of vaccines against the flu have been distributed throughout the country. We expect to get around 67 million will be immunized. This will help to differ coronavirus cases from the flu. The priority will be to vaccinate the elderly, health care professionals, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, pregnant women and children from six months to six years of age.

Since late January, Brazil adopted a series of preventive measures. In early February, national emergency was declared and a quarantine law was adopted. Coordination with neighboring countries immediately followed. Countrywide restrictions to movement and field hospitals in schools and football stadiums were created to handle non-COVID-19 cases.

The priority of Brazilian authorities at national and local levels is to ensure all Brazilians in need of health care are properly assisted and, above all, to save lives.

– Brazil is a huge country with a large population. To what extent are the restriction measures expected to affect the economic and social life of the country?  

– As all countries, we expect negative economic effects from the pandemic. Brazil is concerned with mitigating the economic slowdown, protecting jobs, livelihoods and securing basic income for the most vulnerable. The deadline for tax payment by small and medium enterprises has been postponed for three months; existing programs of poverty relief were expanded; and payment of retirees and social security beneficiaries was anticipated.

Moreover, all informal workers will receive an emergency monthly assistance of approximately USD 150 until the end of the national emergency. In the next few months, the public budget will invest USD 27 billion in economic stimulus.

–There are more than three months that coronavirus ‘travels’ from one continent to another with some countries having had time to get prepared to cope with its impact. Have such preventive measures been taken in Brazil? And secondly, in what way has Brazil cooperated with regional countries and other countries beyond the Continent in the preventive effort?

Brazil is investing strongly in scientific research and development to overcome the coronavirus. I would like to point out two important achievements.

The development of an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) device that adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide from the bloodstream in a machine outside the human body (such as in hemodialysis). The technology is more efficient, has a lower cost and the equipment should be ready for delivery and use in eight weeks.

The announcement by the National Laboratory for Scientific Computing (LNCC), that, in less than 48 hours, 19 different genomes of the COVID-19 had been identified and sequenced from samples coming from different regions of Brazil. The identification of different virus strains through genetic sequencing is fundamental to identify possible viral mutations, the transmission chains and the origin of the virus found in a specific region. The study confirmed that most samples descended from viruses originating in Europe, while a smaller sample arrived directly from China.

With regard to regional cooperation, Brazil established coordination with neighboring countries for a joint response to the pandemic and offered technical training in the diagnosis of coronavirus to nine countries in South and Central America.

MERCOSUR countries agreed to further remove obstacles to the circulation of essential goods in the region, particularly health care materials and equipment. We are working together to ensure repatriation of our nationals.

As it is known Brazil is one of the major producers and exporters of food and we are confident in our ability to serve our population and maintain the adequate supply in this moment of global pandemic to our over 180 partner countries, Albania being an important one. No restrictive measures were adopted to our exports. Furthermore, top priority was given to ensuring that quality is maintained, sanitary requirements observed and protection of workers guaranteed.

–Mr. Ambassador you are in Albania at these coronavirus times working and living here. How are you coping with the confinement measures taken by the Albanian government and in addition which is your assessment of these restrictions because, as you might have noticed, there was hesitation and even a kind of carelessness by people at the beginning?

-Following instructions and guidelines from my government and observing the measures taken by the Albanian authorities, the Embassy of Brazil adapted its operations and is keeping informed our resident community and Brazilian travelers.

Brazilian tourists who were surprised by the pandemic were assisted to promptly return home. In this we are very grateful for the cooperation provided by other embassies in Albania and, especially, the assistance received from MEFA, in yet another gesture of solidarity in these trying times.

I understand that the strategy of the Albanian authorities to progressively adopt measures to deal with the pandemic has been successful. Initial difficulties to convince the population were observed in many countries. However, this was overcome. Albanians now are aware of the seriousness of the situation and complying with the official guidelines.

I am convinced that an important characteristic of Albanian society – the close family ties – certainly plays a crucial role in providing care and attention to the elderly, who are most vulnerable to COVID-19.

–Your Excellency, Albania was hit by a strong earthquake on November 26, 2020 causing fatalities among people and heavy damages. In a short span of time after it the coronavirus pandemic has hit. According to you, in what measure does either of them affect the country and its people in two aspects, economically and socially? I mean will we have a post coronavirus ‘era’ in Albania and worldwide?

-The year 2020 will certainly be remembered by all, but especially by the Albanians. In the wake of the last November’s earthquake, with great national effort and international cooperation, the country had begun reconstruction work, when the pandemic struck. Once again the well-known resilience of the Albanian people is being tested. Amidst these difficulties, Albania received the long-awaited welcoming news of the opening of negotiations for accession to the European Union. This will certainly serve as encouragement and motivation to the country in overcoming the present challenges.

There will be a post-coronavirus world. Many lessons will be learned and priorities will be reviewed. However, efforts to overcome the effects of the pandemic shall have to bear in mind the needs of the most vulnerable sectors of society. Low-income families, self-employed workers and those in service sectors whose reactivation may take longer will require special attention.

–And as a follow up, Mr. Ambassador a sensitive question is being asked: After a hopeful resumption of life as normal how do you see the global economic picture of the world?

-There are reasons to hope that the recovery may not take long. Despite the devastating effects of the pandemic, we will face a situation unlike the aftermath of a war, a natural catastrophe or the 1973 oil shock and the financial crisis of 2008. Although abruptly paralyzed, the transport, communications and energy infrastructures, the labor force and the industrial installed capacity are available and there is no shortage of raw materials.