The danger of denialism: lessons from the Brazilian pandemic

BACKGROUND: Scientific denialism has always had harmful consequences for humanity, but with the advent of the pandemic these effects seem to have been accentuated. MAIN BODY: Unwillingness to accept the facts about the COVID-19 pandemic ascertained by scientists and public health authorities has led to widespread scientific denialism, including the emergence of conspiracy theories of all sorts. Examples are diverse, reaching both developed and developing countries, arriving through populist leaders and the spread of conspiracy theories through social media. SHORT CONCLUSION: It is important to pay attention to the risk of the extremes of this denialism and the possible repercussions, especially in countries that have leaders who agree with these conceptions, such as Brazil and the USA.