Bruxelas

Brazil improved its position in a ranking by the University of Oxford (United Kingdom) that compares risk reduction measures among countries in the coronavirus crisis.

In an index that goes from 0 to 100, Brazil has 76 points, versus 36 last week. The university assigns points to 11 types of measures: 6 of social distance, 2 of relief for economic losses, 2 of health, and 1 of communication.

All states canceled classes, and almost all (except for three) closed malls and high street shops Foto:Alfredo Henrique/Folhapress

According to Thomas Hale, the project's coordinator, the objective is to compare the degree of rigor of the countries' reactions, but without attaching value to each result.

In other words, the ranking does not consider reactions close to 100 or worse to those that do not go above 0. It only records that some governments have taken more measures than others.

"The index is not capable of telling the whole story, but it can help in making public policy decisions or analyzing what measures were taken in each context and why," says Hale, who is a professor at the Blavatnik School of Government, in Oxford.

Every day, the university compiles initiatives to suspend classes, close public spaces, cancel events, interrupt public transport, restrict internal movement, and prohibit international flights.

In Brazil, state governments have taken safety measures. All states canceled classes, and almost all (except for three) closed malls and high street shops. At the national level, there was a restriction on the entry of foreigners.

Translated by Kiratiana Freelon

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