Bathers Crowd São Paulo’s Beaches, Flouting Distancing and Mask Rules

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Despite restrictions on the use of the sand strip, open only for individual physical activities, thousands of pedestrians and bathers visited the beaches of Baixada Santista, on the São Paulo coast, on Sunday, July 12th. Residents and tourists were detected with no masks and disregarding the distancing guidelines.

Enjoying the forecast of sunshine throughout the day and temperatures that reached 31°C in mid-winter, people crowded along the sand strip of the São Vicente and Santos beaches, as seen early in the afternoon. In addition to running and cycling, many bathers seized the sunny day to go swimming and get a suntan.

The beaches were crowded for the second consecutive day, after the state government announced the relaxation of commerce in Baixada Santista, as well as in the Vale do Ribeira. In the ‘São Paulo Plan’ yellow phase, cities are expected to follow strict sanitary protocols to reopen bars, restaurants, and beauty salons with 40 percent capacity. Gyms can operate at 30 percent capacity.

In Santos, despite the fact that there are no time restrictions for swimming and individual physical activities on the waterfront, the city hall requires wearing protective masks. In case of violation, offenders may be fined, according to municipal Decree 8,944, dated April 23rd, 2020.

In São Vicente, dozens of people were spotted in crowds with no masks, seated at tables on the shore of Gonzaguinha Beach. In a note, the city states that access to the beaches is allowed while respecting the protocols on distancing and mandatory wearing of masks.

The São Vicente City Hall points out that municipal civil guards conduct permanent rounds on the sand strip and boardwalk along the shoreline, advising people to comply with the established rules and that kiosks can serve the public, with a limit of five tables, under the yellow phase.

The Santos City Hall states in a note that it continues to monitor the restrictive measures in force along the waterfront due to the Covid-19 pandemic, reinforcing the workforce on weekends, in addition to conducting educational campaigns to alert the population to the need for everyone to maintain isolation and social distancing so that the measures implemented by the municipality to tackle the pandemic may be successful.

The municipality also reported that it has intensified enforcement of the mandatory wearing of masks, particularly on the beachfront area. Since the start of the mandatory wearing of masks on May 1st, 130 residents have been fined for failing to comply. As previously announced by the City, the full amount collected will be invested in the purchase of masks, which will be distributed to socially vulnerable residents. In all, over one thousand masks have already been distributed in the City.

The city hall stresses that the Municipal Civil Guard (GCM) is advising the population on the need to wear masks, maintain social distancing, and that the fine is only imposed when the citizen refuses to wear it. Citizens who detect any irregularities may help by dialing 153, available 24 hours a day.

According to the latest epidemiological report submitted by city governments last Saturday, July 11th, Santos recorded 11,519 confirmed cases of Covid-19, as well as 396 deaths from the disease. In São Vicente, 3,683 positive diagnoses and 188 deaths were recorded.

Source: G1