RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The mayor of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, praised on Friday the decision of the Supreme Court (STF) to suspend a court order that prohibited the presentation of proof of vaccination against Covid-19 – the so-called “vaccination passport” – in certain closed places of the capital Rio de Janeiro.
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For the mayor, vaccination is the only way the city can return to a near-normal situation and allow the city’s traditional celebrations, such as New Year’s Eve and Carnaval, to take place.
This statement comes at a time when, among European countries widely known to be among the most innovative and progressive, as e.g. Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom are canceling their vaccination cards and powerhouse Germany does not want to introduce mandatory vaccination.
This week, Judge Paulo Rangel of the Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro (TJ-RJ) suspended the requirement to present the vaccination card to travel in the city. The ruling, under an interlocutory injunction, granted the request of a resident of the city, but the judge decided to extend habeas corpus to the general population. On Thursday, Chief Justice Luiz Fux of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) overruled the injunction.
The TJ-RJ judge’s decision overturned part of Municipal Decree 49,335, issued Aug. 26, which prohibited entry into certain locations without a vaccination card. The requirement went into effect on September 15. Bars and restaurants were exempted from the restriction.
Rio City Hall has established mandatory proof of vaccination in the following places: Gyms, swimming pools, exercise, and fitness centers and social clubs; Olympic villages, sports stadiums and gymnasiums; movie theaters, theaters, concert halls, amusement arcades, circuses, children’s recreational facilities and skating rinks; entertainment activities unless specifically prohibited; places for visiting tourists, museums, art galleries and exhibitions, aquariums, amusement parks, theme parks, water parks, performances and drive-in shows; and conferences, conventions, and trade shows.