Seventeen São Paulo Cities Confront Governor Doria, Opening Beauty Salons and Gyms

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – According to a survey conducted by the Secretariat of Regional Development (SDR), some 17 cities located in the interior of São Paulo state have issued municipal decrees freeing the operation of gyms and hair salons.

The state government conducted the survey in order to determine how many municipalities in São Paulo conform to the rules set out in the presidential decree.

On Monday, May 11th, President Jair Bolsonaro issued a decree that extended the list of essential services to include beauty salons, barbershops and gyms.

The Federal Supreme Court (STF) had ruled that states and municipalities had the power to determine health policies – including quarantine issues and the classification of essential services.

In practice, presidential decrees are not an immediate release for services and activities to operate.

The Secretariat for Regional Development’s survey took into account the services released under the presidential decree.

Governor João Doria said on Wednesday, May 13th, that the presidential decree is not applicable in the state of São Paulo because the state does not have the necessary health conditions to reopen.

On Thursday, May 14th, an amendment to the quarantine decree, in force since March 24th, was published in the Official Gazette. The prior text only mentioned the non-operation of gyms, but did not refer to the activity of beauty salons. Now the two bans are included in the decree.

The state government’s plan is to clarify that these presidential decree rules are not applicable in any of São Paulo’s 645 municipalities.

Marco Vinholi, São Paulo State’s Regional Development Secretary, says that part of the municipal decrees are the subject of lawsuits in progress in the courts, which challenge their legitimacy. There is no available report on the outcome of these lawsuits.

Piracicaba, Atibaia and Pindamonhangaba are some of these cities that have issued municipal decrees releasing these activities.