Brazilians continue to travel despite Covid-19 restrictions and hospital collapse

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Authorities in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro pleaded with the population to stay home. Still, thousands of Brazilians are traveling to coastal cities and ignoring the recommendations of the first weekend of a 10-day vacation period decreed to contain the increase in COVID-19 infections in the country.

SP 055 Rio-Santos:
Trecho: Bertioga / São Sebastião:
km 193 – Boracéia
Tráfego congestionado sentido São Sebastião devido barreira sanitária.
Tempo bom e boa visibilidade pic.twitter.com/mgfbZwLvkX

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— DER-SP (@_dersp) March 27, 2021

Some residents are taking advantage of the vacation, despite warnings from authorities. Brazil’s two largest cities, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, have imposed broad restrictions on non-essential activities. State authorities brought forward several holidays to create a 10-day rest period, which began on Friday.

Many scenes in Brazilian cities show the difficulty authorities face in gaining the population’s cooperation to contain the spread of the virus.

According to local reports, in São Sebastiao, a city of more than 80,000 inhabitants on the São Paulo coast, tourists destroyed barriers installed at the access to beaches to avoid crowds. The city is one of those that suffered an invasion of tourists who took advantage of the state government’s holiday decree.

“Don’t come to the coast. We depend on tourism, but right now, we depend on health. We need to avoid an even bigger collapse,” said Mayor Felipe Augusto, angered by the acts of vandalism.

In Ubatuba, another major city on the São Paulo coast, residents burned tires on a highway to prevent the arrival of visitors.

– oi amiga tava querendo passar o feriado ai em ubatuba, como estão as coisas?

eu respondendo: pic.twitter.com/BwguMXNqhP

— scar (@scaface) March 27, 2021

Restrictions on activity implemented last year were half-hearted and sabotaged by President Jair Bolsonaro, who sought to avoid economic ruin. He remains unconvinced of the need to take drastic measures, fearful that the economy’s damage could generate more unemployment and social chaos.

Statistics say Brazil now accounts for a quarter of the world’s daily Covid-19 deaths, far more than any other nation, and health experts warn that the nation is on the brink of an even greater calamity. The seven-day national average of 2,500 deaths will reach 3,000 within weeks, experts told The Associated Press.

The health care system is already collapsing, with nearly every state’s intensive care units near or at capacity. On Sunday, 92.6% of ICU beds were occupied in São Paulo, while the state of Rio de Janeiro had 92% occupancy.

Rio city authorities closed 19 stores and fined 60 bars, restaurants, and street vendors on Saturday for violating rules prohibiting their operation. On the city’s beaches, some people ignored the new rules and stayed on the sand.

In absolute terms, Brazil is considered the most affected country in Latin America – and the second in the world – with 312,000 deaths due to the pandemic.

Source: infobae