COVID-19 and the Minas Gerais Lottery
Learn the fascinating story of how a lottery directly helped save thousands of lives in a Brazilian state.
The Lottery House
tags:
history
health
What was COVID-19?
Before talking about the fascinating story of this lottery, we need to talk a little about what COVID-19 is and its impacts on our society. It is important to make clear that this article does not express any political opinion, but rather a technical analysis of what this disease is.
COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, a virus from the Coronaviridae family. It was first identified in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei province, China. Since then, the disease has spread rapidly around the world, leading to a pandemic declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020.
The symptoms of COVID-19 can range from mild to severe and include fever, dry cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle aches, loss of smell and taste, sore throat, and diarrhea. In more severe cases, the disease can lead to pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, respiratory failure, and in some cases, death.
Before anything else, it is important to make clear that as of today, COVID is already in a stage of control. On May 5, 2023, the WHO declared the end of the "Global Emergency State".
Vaccines and treatments of various types have already reached the four corners of planet earth, and experts are already more familiar with the disease, making treatment effective.
What were the impacts of COVID-19 on the global economy?
The pandemic led to a significant economic contraction worldwide. Many countries experienced severe recessions due to business closures, travel restrictions, production shutdowns, and decreased consumption. Sectors such as aviation, tourism, hotel sectors, retail, and entertainment were particularly affected.
In the case of Brazil, where the Minas Gerais Lottery established its operations, the challenges were gigantic. As a large part of the population could not leave home even to work, the Brazilian Government found itself with a huge challenge, to combat hunger without the country producing anything. Many people lost their jobs or faced income reduction due to the interruption of commercial activities. Informal workers and those in the most affected sectors were the most impacted.
In this scenario, the Brazilian Government decided correctly to develop an income distribution policy, to move the economy and prevent millions of people from going hungry. Thus, the "emergency aid" was created, which distributed to specific classes the amount of R$600 (around half of the minimum wage) per person. Until February 2022, the Brazilian Government's spending only on this program exceeded the mark of R$350 BILLION. This measure helped the economy and prevented thousands of companies from closing their doors.
The impact of COVID on public health
One thing is certain, nobody expected COVID and the lack of planning around the world to deal with a calamity on a global scale caused health systems to collapse worldwide.
Below we have some topics that better explain how this disease affected health systems around the world.
Overload of health systems:
The rapid spread of the virus led to an overload of health systems in many countries. The sudden increase in the number of severe cases of COVID-19 required a large amount of medical resources, such as hospital beds, ventilators, and personal protective equipment. In the most affected places, health systems exceeded the limit of their capacity, resulting in major challenges. The lack of beds and all the necessary apparatus for the treatment of the disease, coupled with the lack of effective treatment at that time, made COVID a real nightmare for doctors and health specialists.
Increase in mortality:
COVID-19 caused a significant number of deaths worldwide. The mortality rate varied according to factors such as age, comorbidities, and the capacity of the health system to deal with severe cases. Risk groups, such as the elderly and people with underlying health conditions, were particularly affected.
Impact on mental health:
The pandemic also had an impact on people's mental health. Fear, anxiety, and stress related to the disease, social and economic restrictions, isolation, and safety concerns led to an increase in mental health problems. This included cases of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorders, and suicides.
Interruption of health services not related to COVID-19:
The need to prioritize care for patients with COVID-19 and the overload of health systems led to the interruption of health services not related to the disease. Routine medical appointments, diagnostic tests, treatments, and elective surgeries were postponed or canceled in many places. This had negative impacts on the health of people with medical conditions not related to the coronavirus.
Impact on vaccination campaigns and immunization programs:
The pandemic affected vaccination and immunization programs in many countries. The mobilization of resources and the attention of the health team were directed to the response to COVID-19, resulting in interruptions in the distribution of vaccines against other diseases. This raised concerns about the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, polio, and diphtheria.
Adoption of public health measures:
To contain the spread of the virus, several public health measures were implemented, such as social distancing, use of face masks, hand sanitizing, and restrictions on travel and public events. These measures had social, economic, and psychological impacts, but were considered necessary to reduce the transmission of the virus.
How did we beat COVID?
The achievement of success in controlling and treating COVID-19 has been the result of a combination of factors and coordinated efforts at global, national, and community levels. Here are some key elements that contributed to the successful control and treatment of the disease:
Development of vaccines:
The rapid research, development, and approval of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 were a significant milestone. Vaccines have played a crucial role in reducing the severity of the disease, hospitalizations, and deaths, as well as contributing to collective immunity.
Public health measures:
The adoption of public health measures, such as the use of face masks, social distancing, hand sanitizing, and adequate ventilation, has been effective in reducing the spread of the virus. Public awareness and adherence to these measures were fundamental to disease control.
Testing and contact tracing:
Large-scale testing, along with contact tracing, helped identify and isolate positive cases and break transmission chains. This allowed for a quicker and more targeted response to contain the spread of the virus.
Advances in treatment:
Throughout the pandemic, there have been advances in the medical treatment of COVID-19. Health professionals have gained more knowledge about the disease, developed more effective treatment protocols, and implemented better patient support practices.
Response capacity of health systems:
Strengthening and adapting health systems were crucial to face the pandemic. Increasing testing capacity, ensuring adequate hospital beds, ventilators, and personal protective equipment, as well as training and supporting health professionals, were important actions to treat affected patients.
International cooperation and coordination:
International cooperation was fundamental to share information, resources, and best practices in the fight against COVID-19. Collaboration between countries, international organizations, and health experts allowed for a more effective response and an equitable distribution of resources and vaccines.
How did lotteries help in this process?
Before we tell the story of the Minas Gerais Lottery, we must remember that historically lotteries are used as an instrument of transformation of entire communities and also of financing for social interest projects. The areas of health, education, security, and several others have always been financed with resources from lotteries since the earliest times. A recent example is a cancer treatment, developed by the University of Pennsylvania, which was built through lottery funding.
Returning to the theme of this article, we cannot fail to talk about the Minas Gerais Lottery, The Lottery of the State of Minas Gerais was instituted by decree of the Government of Minas Gerais, nº 165, of January 10, 1939, and is linked to the State Secretariat of Finance of Minas Gerais.
The lottery was a fundamental piece in the development of the State, it allocated a large part of the profit obtained from the games to the Government's social works, in addition, it provided for the inauguration of schools, daycares, hospitals, as well as sanitation and urbanization works. Since its creation, the Minas Gerais Lottery is an instrument of job creation, income generation, and economic circulation for the State of Minas Gerais.
On May 8, right at the beginning of the Global Emergency, the lottery allocated more than R$33 MILLION to the State Health Fund to finance actions coordinated by the State Health Secretariat to combat the Pandemic.
The Resource helped in strengthening the entire health structure of the State of Minas Gerais, in addition, it helped in the construction of a field hospital that housed more than 900 beds for the treatment of the disease.
The help was so significant, that in conjunction with the policies adopted by the State Government, Minas Gerais never needed to use the field hospital, as it managed to deal with the calamity in its own health network, which was greatly strengthened by resources from the lottery.
Fact: Lotteries Save Lives!
This story is a small account of one of the greatest challenges ever faced by humanity, but at the same time, it shows us that lotteries go beyond fun.
In times of pain and great challenges, lotteries, like the Minas Gerais Lottery, always position themselves as a solution. The investments made by the Minas Gerais Lottery in the health structure of the State of Minas Gerais resulted in the saving of countless lives.
We can say with absolute tranquility that lotteries save lives. When playing the lottery remember that you are part of a great humanitarian project. Your fun can represent the transformation of thousands of lives!
Just remember, play consciously and always respect your financial limits!