Author: Louise Pieterse
Last update: Decemer 29, 2021.
Brazil has largely remained open throughout the pandemic and the use of a COVID pass has only been implemented by regional governments as they see fit.
Most recently the supreme court has ruled against a previous decision by President Jair Bolsonaro to allow unvaccinated tourists into Brazil.
Bolsonaro has been outspoken about his feelings towards vaccinations, mask-wearing, and the possibility of Brazil’s green pass.
Brazil’s health records hacked
Those hoping to get vaccinated in Brazil have had to put their plans on hold as the Ministry of Health’s website has been hacked.
The hacking group has demanded a ransom for the safe return of health data to the government.
This hack has also made it impossible for people to get Brazil’s COVID passport or access their health records or receive booster shots.
The government has assured the public that there are backups of all the records and the information will not be lost.
First, the DataSus platform went offline on 10 December and a few days later the Health Ministry’s intranet, email servers, and telephone networks went offline.
The attackers left a scathing message on the website and demanded that it be fixed. “Fix this crappy website or next time, the details of those responsible for this mess will be exposed” it read.
No Vax green pass for tourists visiting Brazil
President Bolsonaro has confirmed that tourists can enter Brazil without proof of vaccination or a green pass and need only enter into 5 days of self-quarantine upon arrival.
Supreme Court justice, Luis Roberto Barroso, opposed this by ruling that everyone entering the country must show proof of vaccination. This ruling must be reviewed by all 11 Supreme Court Justices in the coming weeks.
This came after the Sustainability Network party filed a petition against Bolsonaro’s announcement.
Barroso found that monitoring the quarantine of tourists is too difficult and “the threat of promoting anti-vaccine tourism, due to the imprecision of the regulations that require the voucher, represents an imminent risk.”
Bolsonaro’s initial plan was also halted due to the hack of the Ministry of Health’s website as no vaccination certificate platforms can be accessed.
The president said in a statement, “where is our freedom? I’d rather die than lose my freedom” in response to the ruling.
Local Vaccine Pass in Brazil
Only the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo have previously used Brazil’s vaccine passport as regional governments can implement their own laws regarding the matter.
Sao Paulo’s COVID pass in use
Sao Paulo’s Governor João Doria has said that everyone entering the state after 16 December must show proof of vaccination.
“Brazil cannot become a tourist paradise for deniers. The denial of this country only exists in the minds of this minister [of Health, Marcelo Queiroga] and the president,” he said.
Rio de Janeiro on regional green passports
Rio de Janeiro previously had a list of public spaces and entertainment venues that could only be accessed with a Brazilian passport of vaccination, including shops, concert halls, and gyms.
The list has now been extended to include restaurants, bars, beauty salons, and shopping malls.
COVID statistics in Brazil
Brazil has the 3rd highest number of infections globally and at 22,254,706 they have less than half as many infections as the USA.
By 29 December, 618,723 people have died from COVID in Brazil but the number of deaths has sharply decreased since June as vaccination rates have increased.
Brazil has continuously recorded a high number of new infections from the start of 2020 but has recorded some of its lowest numbers in recent months.
The most recent figures show less than 10,000 new cases per day as opposed to more than 115,000 at the country’s peak.
Brazil is also on its way to being 70% fully vaccinated and almost 99% of adults in Rio de Janeiro being vaccinated with at least one dose. More than 143 million people are fully vaccinated in Brazil.