RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The São Paulo government on Wednesday (28) relaxed the opening hours of state parks. As of August 1, all state’s municipal parks and nature reserves will be fully operational again and have extended opening hours.
The resumption happens for the first time in the pandemic due to vaccination progress in the state, which once again advanced the schedule. The use of masks, a minimum distance of 1 meter, and the prohibition of the congregation are still mandatory. The other sanitary regulations of the place must be respected.
The state government also announced new flexibility of the SP plan against Covid-19 at a press conference at the Bandeirantes Palace on Wednesday. From the first day of next month, the opening hours of stores will be extended to midnight. The capacity will also increase to 80%. Previously, stores were only allowed to operate until 11 p.m. with a total capacity of 60%.
The curfew imposed between 11 PM and 5 AM. will also be lifted on August 1. In addition, according to Governor João Doria, as of August 17, stores will be able to operate at 100% capacity with no time limit. The use of masks and other protocols against Covid-19 should be maintained. “From August 17, when the population is already vaccinated, the occupancy limits and the opening hours of commercial establishments will expire,” he said.
According to the state administration, the permits announced Wednesday were based on the current scenario of pandemic control in Sao Paulo. The indicators of the Health Secretariat show that the number of new cases (-20.6%), hospitalizations (-18.3%), and deaths (-9.6%) caused by the coronavirus decreased on a daily average throughout the state.
São Paulo recorded a decrease in hospitalizations of patients with coronavirus in hospitals and intensive care units. In the state, 54% of ICU beds are occupied, while in the São Paulo metropolitan area, the index is 49.64%.
According to the Health Secretariat, the vaccination campaign in São Paulo has already reached 75.9% of the adult population with at least one dose of vaccine.
The full vaccination program has already been carried out in 27.2% of adults throughout the state.