Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, Manaus, Conselheiro Lafaiete (MG) e Florianopolis
The City of Salvador announced, this Monday (29), the cancellation of public New Year’s Eve parties in the city. The city halls of Florianópolis and Belo Horizonte had already taken a similar decision.
The management of Eduardo Paes (PSD), from Rio de Janeiro, decided to keep the party on Copacabana beach, where there will be the traditional fireworks display. Manaus, which went through a crisis in January with lack of oxygen for Covid-19 patients, confirmed the celebration on the edge of Ponta Negra.
In announcing the decision valid for Salvador, Mayor Bruno Reis (DEM) mentioned the omicron variant of the coronavirus, which appeared in African countries and spread to other nations, and the increase in cases that affects the European continent in recent weeks.
“I know the importance of the event for the economy of our city, but we continue to put people’s lives first”, wrote Bruno on social networks.
Even with the advance of vaccination against Covid, the city hall said that the uncertain scenario caused by the disease prevents it from being carried out with health safety.
With the measure of the city hall, the Virada Salvador Festival, the main New Year’s Eve party in the city and which usually gathers an average audience of 400 thousand people per day, is cancelled.
The planning of the party began to be readjusted after the withdrawal of the participation of artists and the difficulty of attracting sponsors, as informed by Mayor Bruno Reis (DEM) previously.
Under normal conditions, it would be five nights of party at the main hub of the turnaround in the Bahian capital.
The current state pandemic decree allows parties for up to 3,000 people in Bahia. As a result, several small private parties have already been announced in Salvador.
The capital of Bahia is studying whether there will be any type of celebration, such as fireworks in some parts of the city.
Regarding Carnival, the tendency is for the decision to be taken jointly with the government of Bahia, led by Rui Costa (PT).
“The governor said he would look for me, and I said I would look for him, and I’ve already done that. I hope to have the opportunity for us to talk and make the decision together, which will be taken with great caution and security, given everything that is going on happening,” stated Bruno.
Carnival parties are uncertain both in Salvador and Recife and in Olinda, cities in Pernambuco that also have major events during the period. Some artists have already expressed themselves saying that they should not participate in the revelry even if it is confirmed by public authorities. This was the case of the Expresso 2222 box, commanded by Gilberto Gil and his wife Flora Gil.
In Florianópolis, there will be no traditional year-end event on Avenida Beira-Mar Norte, to avoid crowds with shows. The city will only have fireworks.
Rio de Janeiro
In Rio, the Municipal Health Department states that, for the time being, there is no scientific evidence that indicates the need to restrict the holding of the holiday season. On September 17, events were resumed in the city and, according to the ministry, there has been no increase in pandemic numbers since then.
“Admissions by Covid-19 are increasingly rare and all indicators for monitoring the pandemic continue to fall. The city will continue to monitor the epidemiological panorama and, in case of change, may change the measures,” says the secretariat.
Asked if there will be a sanitary protocol on Copacabana’s New Year’s Eve, the folder said that this information will be released in due course.
In an interview with Rádio Jovem Pan, Daniel Soranz, Rio’s Health Secretary, stated that there is no possibility of canceling or postponing New Year’s Eve and Carnival.
The Public Ministry and the Public Defender of Rio recommended that the city re-discuss and review the criteria for relaxing measures to combat the pandemic, “such as the authorization of festive activities that cause large gatherings, especially end-of-year parties and Carnival.”
Currently, the city sees an improvement in its health indicators thanks to the advance of vaccination. At the moment, 76.8% of the population of Rio has completed the vaccination schedule.
Manaus
A year after the second wave that traumatized Manaus, the official New Year’s Eve celebration will take place in the most traditional place, Ponta Negra beach. The organization’s focus, according to the city hall, will be “on respecting the sanitary protocols against Covid-19, the heating of the economy and the safety of the population”.
The requirements to participate will be: prior registration, proof of registration, vaccination card with the complete vaccination cycle and use of masks.
“The advance of vaccination against Covid-19 and the reduction in the number of cases and deaths from the disease allowed for more flexibility in the return of events and parties in the city, including large ones, such as New Year’s Eve”, says the city hall.
“We will follow all safety protocols in relation to the pandemic for the realization of New Year’s Eve and Carnival 2022”, says the government note David Almeida (Avante).
The Carnival will be held, but the rules are being prepared by a special commission. The city hall will financially support the parade of the samba schools.
In Recife, the city hall has not yet decided if it will hold the traditional New Year’s Eve party on the shores of Pina and Boa Viagem, in the south of the city. The city said that the decision will be up to health authorities due to the Covid pandemic.
The tendency is for the decision to be announced only in the first half of December, following what is recommended by the Health Department of the Government of Pernambuco.
In Belo Horizonte, the municipal administration stated that it does not plan to hold any event to celebrate the New Year in the city.
Private parties are authorized in the capital of Minas Gerais. However, releases for future events depend on the maintenance of epidemiological indicators, according to the city hall.
Events for public over 2,000 people, or that have shows and food service for people standing, must charge the presentation of proof of vaccination with the second dose or single dose. A negative test result for Covid performed up to 72 hours before the party may also be shown.
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