Drauzio Varella: ‘We stopped too early to wear masks indoors’

Oncologist Drauzio Varella said he was in favor of resuming the use of masks in closed spaces to contain the recent advance of the coronavirus.

According to him, “it costs nothing” to put on a mask if you are, for example, taking a plane for an extended flight or circulating in closed spaces. “I went to Fortaleza on Monday and I was the only one wearing a mask on the plane. Wow, is it hard to put on a mask on a three-hour flight?”, he criticizes.

“Cases are increasing, the virus is circulating again, and we stopped wearing masks indoors too soon,” said the doctor, who is also a columnist for the Sheet🇧🇷

This Thursday (10), the government of São Paulo issued an alert due to the 56% increase in hospitalizations in ICU beds in the state and 50% for hospitalizations in infirmaries and recommended the use of masks in public transport, in pharmacies and for people with comorbidities or more vulnerable, such as the elderly.

According to Secretary David Uip (Science, Research and Development in Health), the measure is a guideline, but it is not the case of the return of mandatory throughout the state.

“I am totally in favor [da retomada]🇧🇷 We misjudged the virus, but this is very difficult today to resume, the way the pandemic was conducted in Brazil”, said Drauzio, also criticizing the low vaccination coverage for several immunizers, including against Covid, as an effect of an anti-vaccination campaign in the country. unprecedented country.

“We’re seeing a return of polio, low measles vaccine coverage, things we never imagined would return. [a saúde] becomes a political issue, it gets complicated,” he said.

He stated that, at the moment, there is no definition that he will participate in a transition committee for the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), as has been reported.

He only informed that he was invited by cardiologist Roberto Kalil to give suggestions in a team with other professionals and that he will address issues such as support for the SUS and other measures of importance for public health, but that there has been no meeting so far and that “everything is up in the air”.

The doctor also ruled out the possibility of becoming Minister of Health, if invited by the president-elect.