With reduced restrictions, São Paulo rehearses return to normalcy

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – It was 7 PM on Wednesday (4); three young people sat at a table in a sidewalk bar in Vila Madalena, São Paulo. Not even the cold of 13ºC stopped the friends from drinking beer and chatting outside.

Due to Covid-19, choosing an external environment was a privilege for holding the meeting. Giulia Coli, a 23-year-old civil engineer, said it was the first time she had stepped into a bar in more than a year of the pandemic.

“We were looking for a small bar that was more open and not so crowded. I avoid crowds,” says she, who is still waiting to be vaccinated.

The state is in a phase of opening up and returning to “normalcy.” Since August 1, the governor of São Paulo, João Doria has allowed businesses to stay open until midnight and increased the maximum occupancy rate to 80%.

The governor explained that this announcement was possible due to the progress in vaccination and the decline in Covid rates.

On August 17 a new stage begins. Time and occupancy restrictions should be suspended, but with hygiene measures such as masks and social distancing.

The operations manager of the Salve Jorge Group, Flavius Cinira, celebrates the gradual resumption of his business area. Just at the intersection of Rua Aspicuelta and Rua Mourato Coelho, one of the liveliest points of Vila Madalena, the company has three bars and restaurants – Salve Jorge, Patriarca, and Posto 6.

For him, the possibility of serving customers until midnight is a government success, even if he considers it too late. “It’s much easier for us to work because people have time to leave work, go home, shower, and go out to enjoy themselves without having to stay in the bar for just half an hour,” he assesses.

COLD KEEPS PUBLIC AWAY

For the president of the State Council of the Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants of São Paulo (Abrasel SP), Percival Maricato, the final improvement of the sector should be felt from September, with the end of winter.

The institution predicts that bars and restaurants that work at night will increase their sales by 10% by the end of the year. However, unemployment and debt remain a concern.

“These openings make it possible to generate a surplus at the end of the month but do not yet guarantee the repayment of the debt accumulated in the last 15 months. The big task will be to cover the costs. I believe that many will still not survive,” he says.

The city of São Paulo has strictly followed the guidelines of the state government. On July 18, Avenida Paulista was opened to pedestrians on Sundays, with no autobiles permitted, after one year and four months of having been closed.

According to Mayor Ricardo Nunes the closure to cars is experimental in nature and will take place between 8 AM and 12 midnight until further notice. Before the pandemic, the avenue was open from 10 AM to 6 PM on Sundays and holidays.

RETURN OF THE ROTATING TRAFFIC RESTRICTION SYSTEM

Since Monday (2), in the capital of São Paulo, the traditional rotation system during rush hours – 7 to 10 AM and 5 to 8 PM – from Monday to Friday is once again in effect.

According to the Society of Traffic Engineering (CET) bulletin, an average of 60 kilometers of slow traffic was registered on August 2, 11% more than the previous Monday (25).

On Nov. 1, the São Paulo state government will take another important step by clearing events with standing audiences, sporting events with fans, and dance floors, provided they comply with sanitation regulations.

THREAT FROM DELTA VARIANT

According to the Adolfo Lutz Institute, cases of the Delta variant account for 23% of the total cases in Greater São Paulo. According to infectiologist Jamal Suleiman, the moment allows for greater flexibility as vaccination is accelerated – CoronaVac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Janssen are effective against the strain.

This week, 80% of the adult population has been vaccinated with at least the first dose. Intensive care unit occupancy rates are below 50%.

By August 16, Doria guarantees that the first antigen dose will be applied in the entire adult population. Suleiman points out that immunization aims to reduce transmission rates and mortality caused by the disease. “If you are well immunized, and the data suggest you can block transmissibility, we are a social subject again,” he concludes.