As of this Wednesday (9), the use of a mask will no longer be mandatory in open spaces in the state of São Paulo, including in public and private schools. The measure was announced by Governor João Doria (PSDB) at a press conference this Wednesday (9).
Use will continue to be required in closed environments such as public transport, subway and train stations, for example. The total release of the use of mask, including in these closed environments, could occur until the end of March, according to the governor.
In schools, the use of a mask can only be released in open environments such as sports courts and the patio, according to Doria. The item should be used in classrooms, for example.
THE sheet had published last Friday (4) that Doria would opt for flexibility in open environments, such as streets, squares, parks and commercial establishments. At the same time, he should maintain the obligation of equipment indoors as a way of preventing coronavirus.
Another measure, announced by the governor this Wednesday, is the return of the total capacity of the public in the sports squares – the fan must present proof of vaccination. Until then, football stadiums could receive up to 70% of their public capacity.
The presence of fans in stadiums was even banned at the beginning of the pandemic, in March 2020.
The use of a mask has been mandatory since May 2020 as a way of combating and preventing the coronavirus, under penalty of a fine and even imprisonment.
“It’s a new moment in life and work. After two years and two months of the pandemic and losses, we can take a measure with this importance and dimension”, said Doria, who during the announcement even removed her mask in Garden of the Bandeirantes Palace.
The change is driven by two indicators, the drop in infection cases and deaths and data on the progress of the immunization campaign. The latter will be a card by Doria, who is the PSDB’s pre-candidate for the presidential election in October this year. Since the beginning of the week, the toucan’s advisors have been working on making videos about the end of the need to wear a mask.
According to the government’s Vacinometer, updated at 11:50 am this Friday, they indicated that 89.26% of the entire population over five years of age has a complete vaccination schedule.
“Today’s decision [quarta-feira] is fundamentally due to the advance of vaccination. São Paulo is the state that most vaccinates in Brazil. The decision is based on science, health and respect for life,” said Doria.
The pace of the immunization campaign among children and adolescents has been a concern of Doria, who, at least since February, telephoned the mayors and publicly demanded an advance, as he did to the mayor of Lorena, Sylvinho Ballerini (PSDB), on the 25th during the opening of a Poupatempo unit.
At the time, Lorena (190 km from the capital of São Paulo) applied only 41% of the doses received for the child population, at the time.
The municipality of São Paulo reports in its latest daily bulletin on Covid-19, published this Tuesday (8), that 80.21% of the population between 5 and 11 years old received the first dose of the vaccine, and 24.70% were immunized. with the second dose. The total of this public is 1,083,159 children from 5 to 11 years old, according to the São Paulo City Hall.
The government’s expectation is that, in the next two weeks, it will meet again with the committee to adopt the definitive end of mandatory mask use.
“With the continuity of improvements in our indicators, we can increase flexibility in closed environments”, said João Gabbardo, executive coordinator of the scientific committee.
The mayor of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes (MDB), confirmed to the sheet which, with the approval of the state, should allow the use of a mask in the open environments of schools.
Enthusiastic about flexibility, Nunes sent a Nunes (MDB), on Monday (7) he sent Doria a report from the Municipal Health Department in which he guides that it is now possible to release the use of masks in open environments in the capital. The document defends the maintenance of the use of protections in closed places.
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