The Attitude Of Brazilian President Bolsonaro Who Is Still Denial About COVID-19

Presiden Brasil Jair Bolsonaro (dok. Wikimedia commons)

JAKARTA - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is still denial of his positive results being infected with the corona virus. Even after undergoing several tests, he still tested positive.

During his quarantine period, Bolsonaro took the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as recommended by the President of the United States (US) Donald Trump. Although there are no lab results or scientific evidence yet, Bolsonaro continues to take the drug to treat COVID-19.

"From the start I was given the drug hydroxychloroquine, with a doctor's recommendation. I felt better the next day," he said in a video interview, as quoted by Reuters, Thursday, July 16.

While boasting about his immune system, Bolsonaro still praises the drug hydroxychloroquine. "Whether it was coincidence or not ... it worked for me."

To prove the medicinal properties, Bolsonaro again underwent a swab and rapid test for COVID-19. The result was that he still tested positive for the corona virus.

Since catching COVID-19, Bolsonaro said he is still in good health and that he will resume his normal work schedule once he tests negative. In fact, he had attended the flag ceremony on the presidential palace grounds.

Bolsonaro appeared to be wearing a mask and was far from the crowd of people present at the ceremony. He had said that he would return to undergo the COVID-19 test in the next few days.

Bolsonaro has indeed often ignored the direction of medical experts in handling the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. With his denial attitude, Bolsonaro has always refused to apply for lockdowns of his country or city, as a result the number of cases of COVID-19 transmission in Brazil is close to the same as the US.

Not caring about criticism, Bolsonaro continued to appear in public without even wearing a mask. This stubbornness has also encouraged the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 in Brazil.

This also made two of his health ministers, one of which was a doctor, chose to resign amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the Ministry of Health is temporarily led by an active army general.

When remembered, Jair Bolsonaro said he was positive for Covid-19, on Sunday, July 7. Bolsonaro, who is now 65 years old, is in the vulnerable group of COVID-19. He described this disease from the start of the pandemic as a harmless flu.