São Paulo Closes Shopping Malls, Bars and Restaurants at Night and Weekends

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The São Paulo government decided to restrict the opening of trade in several regions of the state to halt the spread of the new wave of Covid-19.

The strategy is different from what has been done to date. During the week, from 8 PM to 6 AM only essential services may operate, such as markets, pharmacies and gas stations. During weekends, malls, bars and restaurants must remain closed, as well as parks.

During business hours, local rules are in force, according to the region. Greater São Paulo, for instance, is in phase 2 orange, where trade may operate with a 40% reduced capacity. The new rules will be effective from Monday, January 25th, and will run until February 8th. The return to classes, which was planned for early February, has been deferred.

Despite the municipal holiday in the São Paulo capital city next Monday, January 25th, parks are open and the business day rules apply, that is, trade may open at 40% capacity.

The reclassification had been considered as certain, due to the surge in hospitalizations across the state, and was confirmed by the Covid-19 Contingency Center in a press conference this Friday, January 22nd.

“We are experiencing a high level of transmission in all regions, with greater or lesser intensity. The only solution is to reduce the movement of people. There is no other alternative, we need to reduce circulation to save lives,” said Paulo Menezes, coordinator of the Contingency Center, during a press conference at the Bandeirantes Palace.

In phase 2 orange – where Greater São Paulo is – bars and restaurants are still unable to offer on-site service, working only by delivery. Shopping malls, gyms and beauty salons may operate for 8 hours a day, at 40% capacity, and parks are only open during the week.

ICU beds

ICU bed occupancy increase prompted these changes. The occupancy rate throughout the state stands at 71%. However, some cities in the metropolitan region no longer have ICU beds available – this is the case of Américo Brasiliense, Artur Nogueira, Fernandópolis, Itatiba, Itaquaquecetuba, Pirassununga, Porto Feliz, Promissão e Socorro. Another 58 municipalities have already exceeded 80% occupancy, most of them in the regions of Marília, Sorocaba and Campinas.

In the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, 71.6% of ICU beds are occupied – reaching 100% in some hospitals, such as Santa Casa.

“In a 45-day period we have reached the same figures as in five months, demonstrating a circulation, a much faster dynamic of the coronavirus. Aiming to reduce this dynamic in our environment, and following guidelines, we are rebalancing it”, said São Paulo Health Secretary Jean Gorinchteyn.

In order to enhance care capacity and prevent the system from collapsing, the government will open another 756 beds for the exclusive care of Covid-19 patients, 450 of them in wards and 306 in ICUs. By February 25th, the Heliópolis Field Hospital, in São Paulo City, will be reactivated.

Restrictions of each quarantine phase in the state of São Paulo:

Red phase restrictions are effective for nights and weekends: Only essential services such as supermarkets, pharmacies and gas stations may operate; trade, shopping malls, bars and restaurants must remain closed; parks remain closed

Orange phase restrictions: 40% capacity for street trade, shopping malls, beauty salons and restaurants. These may operate for a maximum of 8 hours a day, until 8 PM; 40% capacity for gyms; bars are banned from in-person service – only delivery is allowed; parks are open during the week