Peru’s Coronavirus Response Was ‘Right on Time’ – so Why Isn’t It Working?
By Dan Collyns
Peru seemed to be doing everything right.
Its president, Martín Vizcarra, announced one of the earliest coronavirus lockdowns in Latin America on 16 March.
In stark contrast to his Brazilian counterpart, Jair Bolsonaro – who has deliberately undermined social distancing and quarantine measures – Peru’s leader strictly adhered to the World Health Organization’s coronavirus recommendations and mobilised the police and army to enforce a stringent quarantine.
But more than two months later the country is one of the region’s worst-hit by Covid-19 and has been unable to flatten the curve of infections. Peru now ranks second only to Brazil in Latin America with more than 99,483 cases and a death toll of 2,914 according to official figures on Tuesday.
Photo courtesy of Bruno Locatelli / CIFOR.
Source: The Guardian (link opens in a new window)
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