The progress of the pandemic in Brazil

June 2020, a study conducted by Trocando Fraldas with over 10,000 women between June 22 and 23, 2020: Recently, Brazil became the second country in the world to surpass 50,000 deaths from coronavirus. It is second only to the United States, which has the highest number of deaths so far, as shown by the Johns Hopkins University global dashboard. Furthermore, the country has already surpassed 1 million confirmed cases and has the highest average transmission rate in the world.

Given the way the virus has been spreading over the past month, many states are extending social isolation, and even backtracking on measures previously enacted to ease quarantine restrictions. Even the population, which was previously in favor of reopening the economy as soon as possible, has started to change its mind. In our most recent study, we found that 65% of Brazilians do not agree with the reopening of the country. In the previous study, more than half, 52%, wanted the economy to reopen as soon as possible.

Do you agree with reopening in much of the country?

Fear keeps rising

Compared to the previous study, young people aged 18 to 24 were the most supportive of reopening the country. Now, in the new study, we see that the percentage dropped from 57% to 34%.

Ages 18 to 24: Do you agree with reopening in much of the country?

  • Among people aged 50 years or older, the percentage has remained practically unchanged. 35% were in favor in the previous study, now 34%.
  • Previously, men and women supported reopening at the same rate. But now, women support it less than men, 57% for men and 65% for women.

Behavior of others disapproved

The study also found that 59% of Brazilians consider the behaviors adopted by others to be inappropriate. Negligence puts more vulnerable people at risk of infection. One result of this lack of care and other factors is the growing number of cases.

Do you consider the behavior of people around you adequate to prevent more cases?

  • Even though São Paulo is the state with the most deaths, 42% of participants agree that people are behaving appropriately during the pandemic.
  • In Rio de Janeiro, 40% approve of others' behavior in terms of prevention.
  • In Piauí, Tocantins and Pernambuco the population is divided, with half agreeing with people's behavior.
  • The state with the lowest level of approval for the behavior of others is Acre, with 70% of participants.

Concerns by state

  • In Roraima, 81% of respondents know someone who has or has had coronavirus.
  • In Rio de Janeiro, 59% of participants know someone who has already been infected, and in São Paulo at least half of the population.
  • In Rio Grande do Sul, only 23% of the population knows someone who has had the virus.
  • Among all states, half of participants know someone who has already been infected with Covid-19.
  • In the previous study, the percentage of people who knew someone who had been infected was 42%.

Percentage of Brazilians who know someone already infected with Covid-19

  • As mentioned earlier, the number of people who agree with the reopening of the country has fallen drastically.
  • In São Paulo, the most affected state, and in Rio de Janeiro, the second most affected state, 37% of the population agrees with reopening the country.
  • In Ceará and Pará, the percentages of people who agree are 39% and 38%, respectively.
  • In Pernambuco, another state heavily affected by the virus, 34% agree with this reopening.

Ranking of states that agree with reopening the country

  • 1.Tocantins
  • 2.Rondônia
  • 3.Alagoas
  • 4.Sergipe
  • 5.Ceará
  • 6.Paraíba
  • 7.Pará
  • 8.Roraima
  • 9.Santa Catarina
  • 10.Amazonas
  • 11.Rio de Janeiro
  • 12.São Paulo
  • 13.Goiás
  • 14.Rio Grande do Sul
  • 15.Acre
  • 16.Minas Gerais
  • 17.Mato Grosso do Sul
  • 18.Pernambuco
  • 19.Federal District
  • 20.Espírito Santo
  • 21.Paraná
  • 22.Maranhão
  • 23.Amapá
  • 24.Mato Grosso
  • 25.Bahia
  • 26.Rio Grande do Norte
  • 27.Piauí

Research Methodology

The study had national coverage and was carried out with over 10,000 people from June 22 to 23, 2020. Data was collected through an online questionnaire form.

The following questions were addressed:

  • Which state do you live in?
  • How old are you?
  • Are you a woman or a man?
  • Do you know someone who has contracted coronavirus?
  • Do you consider the behavior of people around you adequate to prevent more cases?
  • Do you agree with reopening in much of the country?

In order to compare the results between regions and states, answers to the yes/no questions were recorded as numbers, 1 for "yes" and 0 for "no." Some questions, to obtain more qualitative results, were designed with more options.