Virus hits young people harder in Brazil
23 May, 2020
More young persons are dying of COVID-19 in Brazil than other countries, a trend driven partly by demographics -- the overall population is younger -- but also by poverty and the necessity to work.
The South American giant of 210 million people may be the latest flashpoint in the coronavirus pandemic, rapidly rising to third this week on the set of countries with infections.
With an increase of than 310,000 cases, it lags behind only america and Russia.
Brazil's death toll meanwhile surged past 20,000 Thursday.
A closer look at the data raises questions about the widely held idea that COVID-19 is principally dangerous for older people.
Of Brazil's victims, 69 percent were aged 60 or older, weighed against 95 percent in Spain and Italy, according to official statistics.
The disparity is partly driven by the age of the entire populace: Just 13.6 percent of Brazil's population is 60 or older, in comparison to twenty five percent in Spain and 28 percent in Italy.
But demographics usually do not tell the whole story.
"Since Brazil has a younger population, it's normal for the amount of cases to be higher among under-60s. But it is also because young adults are observing stay-at-home measures less," said Mauro Sanchez, an epidemiologist at the University of Brasilia.
"Young (Brazilians) aren't responding to the virus differently. It is because they're more exposed," he told reporters.
"What's perverse is that the majority of the people who are exposing themselves to the virus are carrying it out because they don't have a choice."
'Worrying statistics'
The phenomenon is becoming more pronounced as the pandemic progresses here.
In early April, 19 percent of COVID-19 deaths in Brazil were among under-60s. This week, that figure rose to 31 percent.
Studies based on cellphone location data indicate Brazilians are observing stay-at-home measures less and less.
Some authorities pin the blame for that on disjointed government policies: Stay-at-home measures are decided at the state and local level, but at the federal level, far-right president Jair Bolsonaro regularly rails against them.
Bolsonaro, who has famously compared the coronavirus to a "little flu," says business closures are needlessly hurting the economy, which is facing a deep recession this season.
He has urged Brazilians to make contact with work.
However the working-age population is vulnerable to the disease, too.
Brazil's official statistics do not breakdown coronavirus infections by age, and experts say under-testing means the true number of cases is most likely far higher than medical ministry's figures.
Several researchers called COVID-19 Brasil estimates the country has a lot more than 3.6 million infected persons -- more than 10 times greater than the official figure.
It estimates this groups with infections are 20 to 29 and 30 to 39 years old, with more than 580,000 infections each -- twice as many as those aged 60 to 69.
"The statistics are worrying, because we are able to see that lately young persons are not taking the necessary precautions," said Patricia Canto, a pulmonologist at the National School of Public Health.
In a country where 20 percent of the population lives on less than $5.50 a day, many Brazilians are forced to select between staying home and putting food up for grabs.
The poorest have a tendency to work in the informal sector -- things such as cleaning, cooking, childcare and other jobs that may only be achieved by leaving the home.
The government has allocated emergency payments of 600 reals (about $110) a month to help such workers get by.
But many experienced trouble registering. In a case of social distancing policy gone awry, crowds have thronged branches of state bank Caixa as people wait hours to join up for the benefit.
Poverty problem
The poor also generally have a higher threat of underlying conditions that may make COVID-19 more serious.
"The low-income population often has major risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes and high blood circulation pressure. Many don't have access to a nutritious diet," said infectious disease specialist Julio Croda.
He resigned from a high-level post in medical ministry in March over disagreements with government policies.
Bolsonaro "is defending viewpoints that contain no technical or scientific basis," he said.
"And that's putting the populace at risk."
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