Brazil Faces a Coronavirus Catastrophe

First it was China. Now it’s Brazil. With over 368,000 cases and counting, Brazil finds itself in the middle of its own coronavirus crisis. And with the number of cases rising, the American government has announced it’s restricting travel from Brazil to the US.

Beginning today, the US will no longer allow entry to foreign nationals who were in Brazil 14 days prior to their arrival. For Brazilians, there are no more vacations to Disney with the family and no more trips to the outlet malls in Miami. For the foreseeable future, we can expect these restrictions to remain in place.

The rule does not apply to US citizens or legal permanent residents, and flights will continue as normal between the two countries. Commercial flights are still available from São Paulo and Campinas.

If you’re considering visiting Brazil anytime soon, whether for leisure or business, you might think twice. Aside from having the second-highest number of coronavirus cases worldwide (the US is first and Russia is in a close third place), Brazil’s political and economic situation is far from stable.

Yet difficult times tend to foster innovation. Notary offices are using videoconferencing tools to close real estate transactions, a concept that wasn’t even imaginable before. And a country that once relied heavily on original signatures now seems more inclined to accept them in digital form.

Despite the epidemic, business in Brazil goes on. There may be delays; there may be bureaucracy. But Brazilians always seem to find ways to get things done.