Mask use in open spaces divides the population, says Datafolha

The mandatory use of a mask in open places divides the population at a time when the number of Covid-19 cases drops in Brazil, but the circulation of the omicron variant of the coronavirus and an epidemic of flu increase the concern with protective measures.

Datafolha research shows that, for 48% of respondents, the use of masks should be mandatory both in open and closed places.

Already 44% say that the accessory should only be required indoors. Another 8% think it should no longer be mandatory anywhere, and 1% say they don’t know.

In other words, 52% are against the obligation of masks in open places, while 48% are in favor of using them.

The survey was carried out between December 13th and 16th, with 3,666 interviews in 191 municipalities across the country. The margin of error is plus or minus two percentage points.

Flexibility in the use of masks came into the agenda in Brazil with the advance of vaccination, which now reaches two-thirds of the population, considering the first complete immunization cycle (two doses or a single dose).

In Rio de Janeiro, the administration of Mayor Eduardo Paes (PSD) in October removed the obligation to use the accessory in open places and in November it did the same for gyms, in the case of people already immunized.

In São Paulo, Governor João Doria (PSDB) even announced the end of the demand for masks in open places as of December 11, but backtracked on December 2, in view of the circulation of the omicron.

For the members of the Scientific Committee, which advises the government of São Paulo, there is uncertainty about the impact of the strain at a time of great movement of people due to the end of the year festivities.

On Monday (20), the Doria administration decided to renew the mandatory use of masks until January 31st.

The epidemic of the H3N2 virus, which escapes the flu vaccine applied this year, also contributed to the decision.

The masks are efficient to protect both against this strain of Influenza and against the coronavirus.

The use of the accessory by the population started to be recommended by the Ministry of Health in April 2020, just over a month after the record of the first case in the country.

The measure was one of several sanitary guidelines disregarded in the pandemic by President Jair Bolsonaro. The agent appeared on several occasions without protection, including in agglomerations.

His health minister, Marcelo Queiroga, took over the portfolio saying he wanted to transform Brazil into a “homeland of masks”, but later defended the end of the mandatory requirement as it aligned itself with the president’s ideological agenda.

It is no coincidence that Datafolha shows that Bolsonaro voters are among those who declare themselves most against the mandatory use of the mask in any environment — they are 14%. The South region is also the one with the highest proportion of people with this opinion, registering the same rate of 14%.

The demand for accessories in any environment reaches the highest levels among those aged 60 years or more (59%), in the Northeast (58%), among women (54%) and among those who disapprove of the Bolsonaro government (54%).

The mandatory use of masks, especially outdoors, was removed after the start of vaccination against Covid in countries such as the United States, Israel and the United Kingdom.

Some of them had to back off in part of the measures as the delta variant spread earlier in the year.

The US, for example, decided to return to recommending the mask indoors in high-risk regions and in schools anywhere in the country after two months of more flexible guidelines.

The importance of physical barriers to protect against the coronavirus is due to the fact that vaccines reduce the severity and risk of transmitting the virus, but they do not completely prevent it.

Even so, the advance of immunization in Brazil maintains a record perception of control of the pandemic in the country, shows Datafolha.

The portion that assesses that the situation is fully under control reached 11% — it was 9% in September and 5% in July.

Already 68% assess that the pandemic is partially controlled, compared to 71% in September and 53% in July. Another 20% think it is out of control, the same rate as in September, almost half that of July (41%).

The perception that the pandemic is fully under control is higher among Bolsonaro voters (22%) and among those who approve of his government (24%).

The view that the situation is out of control is more prevalent among those with an income of up to two minimum wages (26%), among voters of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (26%) and among those who disapprove of the government of Bolsonaro (26%).

In Brazil, the moving averages of deaths and cases per Covid have been generally stable, with recent decreases that have led to less than 200 lives lost per day.

But several states have been pointing out difficulties in recording data on deaths, infections and vaccines since a cyber attack affected the Ministry of Health’s system, on the 10th of this month. The situation, so far, has not been normalized.