Fight against COVID-19: Brazil in comparative perspective

• Grant number: 20/05230-8
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: May 01, 2020 - April 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Administration - Public Administration
• Principal Investigator: Elize Massard da Fonseca
• Grantee: Elize Massard da Fonseca
• Home Institution: Escola de Administração de Empresas (EAESP). Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: Carolina Fausto de Souza Coutinho ; Francisco Inacio Pinkusfeld Monteiro Bastos ; Lira Luz Benites Lazaro
• Associated research grant: 15/18604-5 - Policies to increase the competitiveness of the pharmaceutical sector: Brazil's experience, AP.JP
• Associated scholarship(s): 20/06990-6 - COVID-19: the use of epidemiological data during public health crises, BP.PD; 20/06993-5 - Support field research about COVID-19, BP.TT

Abstract

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has resulted in high mortality and morbidity rates, represents a challenge to health systems and services across the globe. How have governments responded to this pandemic? What is the gap in timing between the emergence of cases in a given country and that government's decision to enact control measures? Perhaps more importantly: how and why are these strategies adopted? Finally, what can be done to prevent a similar disaster in the future? In collaboration with the University of Michigan School of Public Health, our team will investigate the variables that explain different countries' responses to COVID-19. A research grant from the São Paulo Research Foundation will allow our team to conduct field research in Brazil according to three goals: (i) explore the health system's responses throughout the development of the pandemic; (ii) investigate how social protection initiatives have been adopted in order to foster public health initiatives, such as quarantine; and (iii) analyze, using comparative perspective, how and why these decisions have been made and provide recommendations to policy-makers, in addition to establishing lessons learned from this pandemic. This study will combine qualitative, policy analysis research and epidemiological data to explore the extent to which the following dimensions do or do not contribute to an understanding of Brazil's decisions during the pandemic: the country's historical background in responding to public health emergencies; state capacity for crisis management, especially in public health; and coordination and initiatives by political parties. Our study will be one of the first initiatives to investigate the variables that explain, in comparative perspective, the different strategies used to counter the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, our publications will inform future COVID-19 studies and help to shape the debates about what this pandemic may mean for the disciplines of comparative public policy and health policy management. (AU)