Brazil: São Paulo State ends mask mandate in closed places

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The São Paulo state government announced, on Thursday, March 17, that the use of face masks will no longer be mandatory indoors, except for public transportation – and their respective access points, such as subway stations – and in places intended to provide health services. The relaxation was decreed by Governor João Doria (PSDB). São Paulo City Mayor Ricardo Nunes and São Paulo’s Health Secretary, Edson Aparecido, announced that the capital should follow the state decision from Friday, March 18.

“I received this afternoon a technical note from the Scientific Committee that shows a consistent improvement in the epidemiological situation in the state. That is why I decided, with the support of these scientists and doctors, to immediately abolish the requirement to wear masks in all environments, except for health units, hospitals, and public transportation,” said Doria.

The governor had already authorized the flexibilization in open environments on March 9.

The decision was based on technical analysis of the Scientific Committee of the Coronavirus of São Paulo. The experts considered the vaccination rate with two doses in the state, which reached the goal set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health of 90% of the eligible population.

They considered that 14 days after the Carnival holiday, the improvement of the epidemiological indicators remained stable, indicating that the fall in Sars-Cov 2 transmission in the state of São Paulo continues progressively. For the sixth week in a row, a decrease in the number of hospitalizations in the Intensive Care Unit and infirmary beds was registered. Last week, a reduction of 18.5% in new admissions was recorded.

The flexibility in the use of masks varies from state to state. In the survey done by CNN, eight states and the Federal District have removed the obligation in open and closed places:

• Rio de Janeiro;
• Distrito Federal;
• Santa Catarina;
• Mato Grosso;
• Minas Gerais;
• Rondônia;
• Alagoas;
• Maranhão;
• São Paulo.

Other states allow people to remove their masks only in open places:

• Mato Grosso do Sul;
• Goiás;
• Amazonas;
• Espírito Santo;
• Rio Grande do Norte;
• Rio Grande do Sul;
• Paraná;
• Acre.

Sergipe is waiting for a vote on the subject in the Legislative Assembly, and Bahia can dispense the mask as of April.

With the updates, the use of masks in any environment is still mandatory in: Sergipe, Bahia, Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Roraima, Tocantins, Amapá, and Pará.