Risk communication in the fight against COVID-19 in Brazil: A rhetorical analysis

Silva, Cícera Renata Diniz Vieira; Bay Júnior, Osvaldo Goes; Martiniano, Claudia Santos; Uchoa, Severina Alice da Costa

doi:10.1590/S0103-73312021310204

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FREE THEME • Physis 31 (02) • 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-73312021310204 copy

Risk communication in the fight against COVID-19 in Brazil: A rhetorical analysis

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

The objective was to analyze the information related to the new coronavirus pandemic in Brazil, conveyed by national and state authorities, through the lens of risk communication and community engagement. This is a qualitative and reflective study, anchored in rhetorical analysis. Two groups of speeches were analyzed. The first, nationwide, subdivided into the discourse by the Presidency of the Republic of Brazil and by the Ministry of Health. The second, of the states, represented by their normative actions related to the fight against the pandemic. Some recommendations in the management of the disease have unanimous understanding. Other actions, however, do not find the same support in the national and subnational discourse, reason why the following is adopted for a more detailed analysis in this article: the organization of risk communication and community engagement; the practice of social distancing; and the use of medications to treat the disease. Risk communication is based on the premise that every public health emergency faces communication challenges and may benefit from the lessons already learned. The fact that there are different discourses among the entities of the Federation implies disorganization of information, disagreements, and a greater degree of uncertainty in the population about the disease and how to prevent it.

Keywords:
Pandemics; Coronavirus; Communication; Public Health

Source	Social isolation	Treatment
Law No. 13,979, of February 06^th, 2020	- National Quarantine Law. - It recommends the social isolation of infected people and quarantine for the uninfected population as a coping measure.	-
Epidemiological Bulletin 01 (January/2020)	-	No vaccine or specific medication available
Epidemiological Bulletin 02 (02/10/2020)	-	No vaccine or specific medication available
Epidemiological Bulletin 03 (02/21/2020)	-	No vaccine or specific medication available
Epidemiological Bulletin 05 (03/14/2020)	- Guidelines on the action plan for non-pharmacological coping measures, which includes home quarantine.	-
Epidemiological Bulletin 06 (04/03/2020)	- It brings the Ministry of Health's strategic objectives, the social distancing strategies being essential to prevent collapse of the health system.	There is lack of scientific evidence that Chloroquine may be expanded to the general population, without risk analysis.
Epidemiological Bulletin 07 (04/06/2020)	- It clarifies parameters for decision-making regarding the establishment of the lockdown to interrupt any and all activities for a given period of time.	The Ministry of Health is funding clinical studies for the evaluation of drugs for treatment, including Chloroquine.
Epidemiological Bulletin 08 (04/09/2020)	- It offers guidelines on social distancing measures (lockdown, expanded social distancing and selective social distancing), to reduce virus transmission. - It explains that, in selective social distancing, the vulnerable groups will continue to have contact with infected individuals. - It points out that the social distancing strategies are in accordance with the recommendations by the WHO and the MS itself.	There is lack of scientific evidence that Chloroquine may be expanded to the general population, without risk analysis.

State	Normative Acts	Content
São Paulo	- Decree No. 64,881 - March 22^nd, 2020.	It decrees quarantine in the state of São Paulo.
	- Decree No. 64,920 - April 06^th, 2020.	It extends the quarantine period adopted in Decree No. 64,881 of March 22^nd, 2020.
	- Decree No. 64,946 - April 17^th, 2020.	It extends the quarantine measure adopted in Decree No. 64,881 of March 22^nd, 2020.
	- Decree No. 64,949 - April 23^rd, 2020	It re-writes Article 4 of Decree No. 64,881 of March 22^nd, 2020, which decrees quarantine in the state of São Paulo.
	- Decree No. 64,967 - May 08^th, 2020.	It extends the quarantine measure adopted in Decree No. 64,881 of March 22^nd, 2020.
Rio de Janeiro	- Decree No. 46,973 - March 16^th, 2020.	It acknowledges the emergency situation and adopts measures to cope with the spread resulting from the new coronavirus.
	- Decree No. 46,980 - March 19^th, 2020.	It updates the measures to cope with the spread resulting from the new coronavirus.
	- Decree No. 46,983 - March 20^th, 2020.	It expands the measures to cope with the spread resulting from the new coronavirus.
	- Decree No. 47,006 - March 27^th, 2020.	It provides on measures to cope with the spread resulting from the new coronavirus.
	- Decree No. 47,027 - April 13^th, 2020.	It provides on measures to cope with the spread resulting from the new coronavirus.
Ceará	- Decree No. 33,519, March 19^th, 2020.	It intensifies the measures to cope with infection by the new coronavirus.
	- Decree No. 33,530, March 28^th, 2020	It extends the measures adopted in Decree No. 30,519 of March 19^th, 2020, and subsequent amendments.
	- Decree No. 33,536, April 05^th, 2020	It extends the measures to cope with the spread of the new coronavirus in the state of Ceará.
	- Decree No. 33,544, April 19^th, 2020	It extends, at the state level, the restrictive measures to fight against COVID-19.
	- Decree No. 33,574, May 05^th, 2020	It institutes a policy of rigid social isolation to fight against the pandemic.

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[TFN1] Source: Own elaboration, based on the regulations, available in: http://www.planalto.gov.br/CCIVIL_03/Portaria/quadro_portaria.htm and on the epidemiological bulletins, available in: https://coronavirus.saude.gov.br/boletins-epidemiologicos.