Bolsonaro Says Masks are “Fiction” and Attacks Protective Measures Against Covid

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On the last day in 2020, and the third consecutive day in which the country again recorded over one thousand deaths in 24 hours, during a social media live stream, President Jair Bolsonaro criticized isolation measures to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and the wearing of masks aimed at decreasing the chances of contagion of the novel coronavirus.

The President said that cloth masks are “fiction”, which provide “virtually zero” protection against the coronavirus, despite nearly all health professionals and studies pointing out that their use does reduce the potential for contamination by the virus.

“They talk so much about masks. All the time this wretched media talking about “the president with no mask”. You didn’t get it yet, did you? This is fiction. When are we going to have people with guts, as I’m not an expert on the subject, to say that masks’ protection is a small percentage? Masks works for doctors, who are wearing a specific mask. Ours here, it’s virtually nothing”, said Bolsonaro.

A study conducted in Germany and published in early December shows that the mandatory wearing of masks reduced the incidence of Covid-19 by 47% on average. Research conducted at Virginia Tech universities in Cambridge and Northwestern shows that fabric masks are effective in protecting against Covid-19.

With Brazil on the verge of reaching the 200,000 death mark from the disease, Bolsonaro made no comment on the deaths and focused his criticism on the measures taken by governors and mayors who have chosen to close businesses and restrict the movement of people.

“Chaos may be present. With the economic team and a few other Ministers, we managed to prevent chaos. But with this policy of closing, striking at the heart of the economy, we may bring chaos here. And this hell, this haunting, is coming back, due to the irresponsibility of closing everything,” said the President.

“I won’t take the vaccine”.

Bolsonaro again stated that he will not take the vaccine against Covid-19. According to the President, since he has already had the disease, he doesn’t need it. “In my particular case, as I have already been infected and have antibodies, I will not take the vaccine,” said Bolsonaro.