A group of controversial protesters against coronavirus restrictions BURNED face masks near the Buenos Aires Obelisco in Argentina on September 6.
Footage shows a group of people throw their masks into a small pot and set them on fire shouting, “Burn face coverings.”
After the video went viral in Argentina, Foreign Minister Felipe Solá said in a Twitter post: "Burning masks and exhorting to burn them is primitive, self-destructive and petty. It puts others at risk, and it is a lack of respect for health personnel who risk their lives every day."
President of the Argentine Society of Intensive Care (SATI), Dr. Rosa Reina, warned the health situation at national level is critical and called on society to act with greater responsibility to stop the contagion of coronavirus.
"This is not the time to get together to have a party," said Reina after the national government authorized outdoor meetings of up to 10 people and the City of Buenos Aires made progress in opening bars and restaurants to encourage gatherings in times of pandemic.
SHOTLIST:
1. Various of people burning masks in Buenos Aires, Argentina (Credit @Dianavegana)
STORYLINE:
In the midst of an increase in coronavirus cases in the country, a group of people yesterday carried out a burning of masks in the Buenos Aires Obelisk. The recorded images quickly went viral on the networks and generated a strong controversy.
The unusual event occurred yesterday, in one of the squares next to the Obelisk. In the footage it is observed how a group of approximately 60 people throw their masks into a small pot and set them on fire shouting “burning chinstraps”.
After the video went viral, Foreign Minister Felipe Solá expressed your repudiation. “Burning masks and exhorting to burn them is primitive, self-destructive and petty. It puts others at risk and it is a lack of respect for health personnel who risk their lives every day”, he posted on his Twitter account.
Last week various medical associations published their concern about the number of cases registered every day in the country and mainly in Buenos Aires. For example, the president of the Argentine Society of Intensive Care (SATI), Dr. Rosa Reina, warned that the health situation at the national level is very critical and called on society to act with greater responsibility to stop the contagion of coronavirus.
"This is not the time to get together to have a party," said Reina after the national government authorized outdoor meetings of up to 10 people and the City of Buenos Aires made progress in opening bars and restaurants to encourage gatherings in times of pandemic. Then, during the week, President Alberto Fernández received a group of therapists and health workers to learn about the work they carry out in the framework of the pandemic, following the open letter issued by the Argentine Society in Intensive Care (SATI).
After the letter published by SATI, the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) issued an Open Letter to society in which it warned that the health situation in the country will worsen "day by day" if it is not take "additional measures" in the coronavirus contagion prevention plan.
In the document, published by the university educational entity itself during the afternoon of Wednesday, the authorities warned that a parallel phenomenon began to take place: the increasing growth of internees and deaths and the increasing fatigue and exhaustion of the health professionals in charge of caring for these people.
"Today in Argentina we are going through the most difficult moment of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic, measured both in terms of new infections and also by the growing number of people who die every day," said the House of Higher Studies in an Open Letter from two pages.
"If additional measures are not implemented, this situation will continue to worsen day by day," it was stated, adding: "Social distancing continues to represent the fundamental measure in the fight against the pandemic."