RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil now counts 58 reopened shopping malls, some ten percent of the total 577 in the country, while 519 remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Five more malls have been reopened since last Friday, April 24th, according to the Brazilian Association of Shopping Malls (ABRASCE).
On Monday, April 27th, the following shopping malls were reopened: Resende Shopping, Shopping Pátio Mix Resende (Rio de Janeiro), Pelotas Shopping (Rio Grande do Sul), Várzea Grande Shopping (Mato Grosso); on Saturday, April 25th, Shopping Centronorte in Apucarana (Paraná) was reopened.
The reopening of trade has been gradually occurring in the country, due to the suspension of part of the decrees issued by city and state governments banning the operation of these facilities in order to reduce the circulation of people and the spread of coronavirus.
In all, there are 34 cities in nine states where the restart of activities has already been authorized. ABRASCE estimates that most or all shopping malls will be open by May. Until a few days ago, all 577 malls in the country were closed.
Operations in the reopened malls follow specific rules laid down by local decrees, such as opening during reduced periods (usually between 12 noon and 8 PM), limited number of people in stores, food courts with fewer tables, and closing of movie theaters for the time being.
São Paulo
No mall has been reopened to date in the state of São Paulo, where there are 182 facilities, equivalent to a third of the national market. The state is also the most affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with 1,700 deaths.
Malls in São Paulo cities São José dos Campos, Indaiatuba, and Limeira had been about to reopen their doors on Monday, but the decision was revoked as the latest state government decree restricts activities until May 11th, when a gradual restart of activities is planned.
Source: Estadão Conteúdo