RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Rio de Janeiro State Health Secretariat (SES) recommended that the samba schools parade in Sapucaí be maintained, but advocated suspending the street Carnival, given the epidemiological situation in the state.
The statement was issued on Friday night, January 7, after a meeting of the scientific committee’s experts, who advised the government to implement more restrictive measures.
The meeting minutes between the committee’s experts will be forwarded to State Health Secretary Alexandre Chieppe, who will analyze the recommendations, but considers it too early to decide on the cancellation of Carnival in Sapucaí.
“We cannot make a decision now to suspend an event that will take place in two months, in light of the current epidemiological situation,” the Secretary said.
Chieppe also states that, based on the experience of other countries, the Omicron variant tends to transmit more rapidly. He believes that by Carnival, infection cases should drop, and parades at Marquês de Sapucaí could be maintained, following the required safety protocols for revelers.
Also on Friday, State governor Cláudio Castro issued a statement on social networks saying that he would suggest that the state scientific committee experts consider suspending the street Carnival in all the State’s municipalities.
“It would be irresponsible to authorize crowds, with no possibility of complying with sanitary protocols, while Covid-19 cases are growing,” Castro posted.
REHEARSALS SUSPENDED
Also on Friday, Riotur sent a letter to the LIESA urging the suspension of the samba schools’ street rehearsals due to the increase of Covid-19 cases in the city in recent weeks.
In turn, LIESA reported that it accepted the decision, but requested that the associations hold the rehearsals in their courts, ensuring the requirement of proof of vaccination against Covid for access and permanence in the premises.
Experts consulted earlier advocated the suspension of Carnival in Rio due to the spread of Omicron in the country.
Brazilian Society of Immunizations (SBIm) director Renato Kfouri says this is not the time to promote any kind of crowding. “We have reached a high transmission rate, of a variant that does not abide by the vaccine much. No kind of crowding should be promoted, neither with nor without a passport, neither with nor without vaccination,” he said.