The Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science (SBPC) prepared this Wednesday (19) a letter in support of the pulmonologist and Fiocruz researcher Margareth Dalcolmo. She says she became the target of cyberattacks after publishing an article in leaf in which he said that carrying out Carnival in sambadromes could be a high-risk activity, considering the high number of Covid-19 cases in the country.
In the publication, Dalcolmo mentions the cancellation of the street Carnival and other events by city halls and says that it would be incongruous, from a sanitary and administrative point of view, to keep the samba school parades.
“The use of public transport, inevitable for most spectators and revelers, and the concentration of people in the clubs themselves, as well as in stands and boxes, would result in a high risk of transmission”, said the researcher in the article.
“Let us remember that the first cases of Covid-19 that we treated – and some people died, in 2020 – came from the parades in the sambadromes. Naturally, it was the initial moment, with little knowledge about the dynamics of the disease and without vaccines”, he continued.
The doctor says she saw two patients who became infected during the festivities in 2020.
The mention of cases that would have originated in parades generated a note of repudiation by the National Federation of Samba Schools (Fenasamba), which also spoke of suing the researcher.
The entity states that the 2020 Carnival was held between February 21 and 25, while the first case of Covid 19 recorded in Brazil occurred on February 26 of that year, in a person from Italy.
“Dr. Dalcolmo’s statement lacks any support in the real facts and contradicts the posture of defense of science and the truth that has always guided the behavior of the respected scientist”, says the federation. “More than that, Fenasamba challenges Dr. Margareth Dalcolmo to present concrete, objective and scientific evidence to justify her misplaced statement.”
In a note prepared this Wednesday, the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science says it offers solidarity to Dalcolmo and the epidemiologist, professor at Ufpel (Federal University of Pelotas) and columnist for leaf Pedro Hallal, described as “threatened by denialism”.
“At this moment, when the number of cases increases and hospitalization threatens to become critical, with the possible overcrowding of beds, as well as the tests available for the adequate detection of covid-19 are exhausted, more than ever it is necessary to appeal to prudence. , as Drs. Margareth, Pedro and several other professionals have done, honoring the category and institutions to which they belong, always in accordance with science and its evidence”, says the SBPC.
Researcher Margareth Dalcolmo also received support from the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine (SBMT), which endorsed her arguments.
“The SBMT expresses deep indignation and repudiation of the attack and highlights that at this moment ALL Brazilian science is being attacked by samba schools, in the person of Dr Margareth Dalcolmo”, says the association, in response to Fenasamba.
The Brazilian Society of Pulmonology and Tisiology and the Society of Pulmonology and Tisiology of the State of Rio de Janeiro also expressed support for Dalcolmo.
Read the note issued by the SBPC below:
“IN SOLIDARITY WITH PROFESSIONALS THREATENED BY NEGATIONISM
In the face of successive attacks on respected scientists – among them, Drs. Margareth Pretti Dalcolmo and Pedro Hallal – on behalf of those who deny or minimize the risks of the covid-19 pandemic spreading even further, the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science – SBPC comes to offer its solidarity to these remarkable professionals, who have no measured efforts to combat the pandemic, saving lives, in addition to alerting, through newspapers and the media in general, to the care that must be taken to protect Brazilian citizens.
Sao Paulo, January 19, 2022.
Renato Janine Ribeiro
President of the SBPC”
JOELMIR TAVARES (interim), with LÍGIA MESQUITA, BIANKA VIEIRA e MANOELLA SMITH
.
