Covid-19: More Brazilian capitals decide not to have official New Year’s Eve parties

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Amid the upsurge of the Covid-19 pandemic abroad, major Brazilian cities have decided not to hold New Year’s Eve events.

On Monday, the city of Salvador announced that it would not promote the New Year’s Eve party, a decision also taken by Fortaleza on Saturday, and the city of Belo Horizonte informed that it “did not plan” the celebration. In São Paulo, Rio and Belém, the event schedule is still maintained but now under evaluation.

The concern with the Covid-19 scenario canceled the New Year’s Eve festivities in Salvador and Fortaleza. The governor of Ceará, Camilo Santana (PT), had already banned significant events for the turn of the year in the state. The mayor of Ceará’s capital, José Sarto (PDT), used his social networks to announce the decision over the weekend.

“Fortaleza City Hall will not promote a public event on New Year’s Eve this year, although vaccination against the Covid-19 is going well and the numbers of hospitalizations and deaths remain stable at low levels. We even considered the possibility of holding our traditional New Year’s Eve party, if the situation allowed, but we cannot relax. Otherwise, we would lose all the work done so far. The international scenario is worrying, and we are on alert,” wrote José Sarto.

On the other hand, private events can be held, following protocols. Saturday, Fortaleza’s city hall issued a municipal decree allowing parties of up to 2,500 people indoors, and up to 5,000 in open spaces, after deliberation by the State Committee to Combat Covid-19.

In Salvador, the traditional Virada Festival would be held, which usually lasts at least five days, with concerts of great artists and an audience of more than 250,000 people. On Monday, however, the mayor of the capital, Bruno Reis (DEM), announced the event’s cancellation.

“The numbers of deaths and hospitalizations only keep falling in our city. Only that, in a scenario of uncertainties and doubts, there is no way to hold the Virada Festival, which is an event for more than 250,000 people,” explained the mayor. He has not yet decided on Carnival.

According to the mayor in Salvador, 99% of the population over 12 years old took the first dose of the vaccine, and 81% of the same age group took both doses. According to the state government, in Ceará, 74.2% of the total population received two doses of the vaccine or the single dose and are considered immunized against Covid-19; 87.46% of Ceará’s population has received at least the first dose.

SÃO PAULO, RIO, AND BELÉM MAINTAIN PROGRAMMING

On Monday, O Globo contacted the capitals of the country to know about party planning. The city of Belo Horizonte informed that it did not make plans for New Year’s Eve this year and, therefore, there is no announcement of an event.

The city halls of São Paulo and Belém answered that the party calendar would be maintained as long as the epidemiological picture remains favorable. In other words, the conditions will continue to be evaluated until the date.

In Rio, the position is the same. Repeatedly, Mayor Eduardo Paes has affirmed that New Year’s Eve and Carnaval will occur, although he emphasizes the need for a technical basis for the decision. Last week, Governor Cláudio Castro said that New Year’s Eve would “probably” take place in the state.