The Fiocruz Covid-19 Observatory Bulletin of this Thursday (10/7) highlights a successive drop in the number of cases and deaths, besides the stagnation at lower levels in the occupancy rate of Covid-19 ICU beds for adults in the Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS), in most Brazilian states. This, according to researchers, is the best evidence of the vaccination success for preventing severe and fatal forms of the disease. However, despite the good news, it is essential to keep the preventive measures to block the virus circulation. And the country is not reaching good levels in this context yet.

Since the middle of July, the Home Stay Index has been close to zero, which means there is no difference in the intensity of movement of people on the streets when compared to what was observed before the pandemic. “Firstly, it is important to understand that this kind of lack of physical distancing combines various agglomeration forms, from public transportation to business and leisure activities. In any of these situations, there is a prolonged exposition of people in confined spaces”, and with only a little more than 40% of the population completely vaccinated, say the researchers.

Even though many of these people who are circulating have been vaccinated already, the vaccines do not completely prevent the infection or even the transmission of the virus. The recommendation is for keeping measures of physical distancing, use of masks and hand hygiene—as well as the immunity passport adoption — while the country progresses to an ideal vaccination coverage level, and for activities that represent a higher people concentration and agglomeration to be performed only with the vaccination proof. “It is not prudent and appropriate to talk about concrete terms, dated for the end of the pandemic, but to ensure that we take the necessary measures for this day to get close faster”, say the Observatory’s scientists.

Cases and deaths The current mortality values continue around 500 deaths a day, which reveals an expressive drop in relation to the spike observed in April, when more than 3,000 daily deaths were notified. On the other hand, these numbers still demonstrate the continuity of the transmission and the incidence of severe cases that require intensive care. Over the last week, an average of 16,500 confirmed cases and 500 daily deaths by Covid-19 was registered, a slight increase in the number of cases (0.4% per day) and a decrease in the number of deaths (0.7% per day). The movement of people on the streets and the positivity of tests remain high.