Experts disagree with Anvisa’s (National Health Surveillance Agency) decision to suspend the mandatory use of masks on planes and airports in Brazil. For them, it was not yet time to make use optional.
The agency’s decision will take effect when published in the Official Gazette, which should occur in the coming days.
“Although Brazil has really advanced with vaccination rates against Covid-19, some age groups still leave something to be desired, as they did not comply with the entire vaccination schedule”, says infectologist Tânia Chaves, from the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases ( SBI). .
In her assessment, it is necessary to pay attention to airports and planes, since they are environments with a large circulation of people and because they can be a gateway for the entry of new variants from other countries.
“We know that the population of travelers is considered a sentinel, that is, it warns of the introduction of diseases and new agents. We have an emergency now, monkeypox, which was introduced by travelers in several countries”, exemplifies the infectologist.
The vice president of Abrasco (Brazilian Association of Collective Health), Claudio Maierovitch, says that from a scientific point of view, withdrawing the obligation means facilitating the transmission of the virus.
“I don’t understand why there is such a rush to take out an instrument that has been proven to work to stop this”, says the epidemiologist, who points out that the moving average of deaths caused by the coronavirus – currently, 176 per day – is still high.
Epidemiologist Ethel Maciel, a professor at Ufes (Federal University of Espírito Santo), understands that it makes sense to hold the debate now about whether or not to use it. “We already expected that at the end of July there would be a decrease in the wave of the ômicron variant. [na pandemia]this is the most opportune for the discussion”, he says.
“I would say that air transport is one of the only places in Brazil that we had HEPA filters installed [‘alta eficiência de filtragem de partículas do ar’, em português], air quality improvement investments. However, even if there is this filter, if you are in a closed environment, it is better to protect yourself with a mask”, Maciel recommends.
The teacher remembers that, despite the obligation, in practice it did not work so well, because there is a lack of supervision. “People end up using it just to get on the plane. If they don’t use it correctly, the protection measure is greatly impaired.”
With the fall of the obligation, the specialists consulted by the Sheet say they do not believe there will be an explosive increase in cases. “But certainly the reduction of new diagnoses that could be in this period will be slower”, says Maierovitch.
Maciel adds that Anvisa needs to define criteria to resume the use of the instrument in these environments if the number of cases rises again.
When can we ditch the masks?
Regardless of whether it is mandatory or not, Maciel guides the population to continue using masks, as is already practiced in Asian countries before the emergence of the coronavirus.
“Every time someone has an infection or is going to spend long hours indoors, especially when traveling, they use it as a matter of learning from past epidemics”, informs the professor.
“It is a cheap, simple, effective measure that has no side effects, nor negative impacts on people’s autonomy. So, it should be the last to be withdrawn”, concludes Maierovitch.
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