Dataset Information

On the role of financial support programs in mitigating the SARS-CoV-2 spread in Brazil.

ABSTRACT:

Background

During 2020, there were no effective treatments or vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. The most common disease contention measures were social distance (social isolation), the use of face masks and lockdowns. In the beginning, numerous countries have succeeded to control and reduce COVID-19 infections at a high economic cost. Thus, to alleviate such side effects, many countries have implemented socioeconomic programs to fund individuals that lost their jobs and to help endangered businesses to survive.

Methods

We assess the role of a socioeconomic program, so-called "Auxilio Emergencial" (AE), during 2020 as a measure to mitigate the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Brazil. For each Brazilian State, we estimate the time-dependent reproduction number from daily reports of COVID-19 infections and deaths using a Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered-like (SEIR-like) model. Then, we analyse the correlations between the reproduction number, the amount of individuals receiving governmental aid, and the index of social isolation based on mobile phone information.

Results

We observed significant positive correlation values between the average values by the AE and median values of an index accounting for individual mobility. We also observed significantly negative correlation values between the reproduction number and this index on individual mobility. Using the simulations of a susceptible-exposed-infected-removed-like model, if the AE was not operational during the first wave of COVID-19 infections, the accumulated number of infections and deaths could be 6.5 (90% CI: 1.3-21) and 7.9 (90% CI: 1.5-23) times higher, respectively, in comparison with the actual implementation of AE.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that the AE implemented in Brazil had a significant influence on social isolation by allowing those in need to stay at home, which would reduce the expected numbers of infections and deaths.

SUBMITTER: Albani VVL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9485798 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

On the role of financial support programs in mitigating the SARS-CoV-2 spread in Brazil.

Albani Vinicius V L VVL Albani Roseane A S RAS Bobko Nara N Massad Eduardo E Zubelli Jorge P JP

BMC public health 20220920 1

<h4>Background</h4>During 2020, there were no effective treatments or vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. The most common disease contention measures were social distance (social isolation), the use of face masks and lockdowns. In the beginning, numerous countries have succeeded to control and reduce COVID-19 infections at a high economic cost. Thus, to alleviate such side effects, many countries have implemented socioeconomic programs to fund individuals that lost their jobs and to help endangered bus ...[more]

PMID: 36127657

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Project description:BackgroundPrograms offering financial support have been established to mitigate the economic fallout and vulnerabilities arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, financial incentives were introduced to promote compliance with social isolation measures, thereby preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections and transmission. However, few low- and middle-income countries have implemented financial aid to alleviate the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We estimated the association between the Brazilian Emergency Aid (EA) Program and SARS-CoV-2 testing demand, SARS-CoV-2 prevalence, and social isolation levels.MethodsIn this quasi-experimental study, we assessed microdata information from 380,000 individuals surveyed in the COVID-19 National Household Sample Survey (COVID-19 NHSS) between July 1, 2020, and Nov 30, 2020. Individuals meeting the EA eligibility criteria, those who have taken the SARS-CoV-2 test, those diagnosed with COVID-19, and/or those complying with social isolation measures were included. Beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries were matched (1:1) using propensity score matching, combined with the entropy balance technique and inverse probability treatment weighting, considering all relevant socioeconomic and health covariates. We performed logistic regression to compute the monthly average impact of EA benefits on the outcomes above.ResultsWe included 171,183 performed tests, 19,218 COVID-19 cases, and individuals' self-response in complying with mild (N = 660,297), moderate (N = 597,159), strict social isolation (N = 149,125), and those who did not constrain social gatherings (N = 1,406,581). EA recipients showed greater testing demand (November; odds ratio [OR] = 1.014, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.001-1.026); however, this did not significantly reduce SARS-CoV-2 prevalence. Beneficiaries adhered better to mild isolation from July-September (September; OR: 1.017, 95% CI: 1.007-1.028), with no significant improvement from October-November. EA beneficiaries did not adhere to moderate (July, OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.94-0.97; November, OR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.80-0.86) or strict (July, OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.75-0.84; November, OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.73-0.81) isolation compared to non-beneficiaries.ConclusionsDespite the severe COVID-19 situation in Brazil owing to the lack of effective public health policies and government resistance to scientific guidance, being an EA beneficiary was associated with increased testing demand and better adherence to mild social isolation measures.

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Dataset Information

On the role of financial support programs in mitigating the SARS-CoV-2 spread in Brazil.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

On the role of financial support programs in mitigating the SARS-CoV-2 spread in Brazil.

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