No more mandatory masks in all Brazilian states, at least outdoors

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – After five months since the first release of the use of the mask outdoors, still in November 2021 by the states of Maranhão, Santa Catarina, and Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraíba became this Friday (8), the last Brazilian state to allow the use of the equipment.

There, the use of face masks indoors will be released only in municipalities where more than 70% of the population has been vaccinated with two doses of the vaccine against Covid-19.

The city of João Pessoa, the capital of Paraíba, took a day ahead and decided to release the masks on Thursday (7th) to make use more flexible.

Most states began allowing the wearing of masks (initially outdoors) in March, starting with Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo in the first week and ending with Pará on the last day of the month.

In April, Bahia, Amapá, and Paraíba were the last states to relax protections in open areas.

Currently, 12 states allow release only in open areas: Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, Acre, Rio Grande do Sul, Ceará, Tocantins, Piauí, Pernambuco, Bahia, Amapá, Minas Gerais, and Pará.

Flexibility includes open and closed positions in another 14 states: Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, Mato Grosso, Rondônia, Alagoas, Maranhão, São Paulo, Amazonas, Sergipe, Paraná, Roraima, Rio Grande do Norte, Espírito Santo and Paraíba, as well as in the Federal District.

The average release duration between the decree that allowed use in open places and use in closed areas were 15 to 30 days.

Some municipalities and capitals prohibited use even before the state decree. All capitals, except Belém (PA), have authorized the measure in open or closed spaces, with 20 capitals issuing in any environment and six issuing only in open spaces.

There are exceptions in all releases. Although indoor use is not mandated, some states require use in specific locations, such as public transportation and hospitals, and recommend continuing the protective measure for immunocompromised individuals and those with respiratory symptoms.

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