Brazil: Govt. Promises to Help Poor if 2nd. COVID-19 Wave Hits

Brazil's Economy Minister Paulo Guedes Thrusday promesed that if Brazil experiences a second wave of COVID-19 cases -when it has not yet come out of the first one-, the government will prolong the emergency aid destined to healp the poor people.

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"It is not the government's plan to extend the grant since officials expect a gradual decline in infections and stepped up economic recovery," Guedes assured, alluding to the grant approved by the government at the beginning of the pandemic and that should end in December.

However, "if there is a COVID-19 second wave, it is a certainty that the government will resume the emergency aid," he said. 

The minister's statement contradicts President Jair Bolsonaro´s stance who this same week publicly complained about those who "scare" society with possible worsening of the health crisis.

"They are scaring the people with a second wave. If it happens, it must be confronted. But you can't live in fear. You cant run away from reality. We are all going to die someday. We have to stop being a country of fags," Bolsonaro said.

Brazil is one of the most affected nations by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has so far left nearly 136,000 deaths and 5.6 million infections. The poor have been the most vulnerable people during the crisis. 

During the first three months, the emergency aid was set at about US$109 reals per month, but was later reduced to about US$50. 

So far, Brazil has reported 5,748,375 COVID-19 cases, and 163,373 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. This places it as the second most affected country by the pandemic worldwide.