The mayor of Rio de Janeiro announced Monday, August 10, that anyone wishing to go to a beach in the seaside town would have to reserve space through an app, in an attempt to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
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But the measure announced by Marcelo Crivella may be very difficult to apply in a city where kilometers of beaches are currently taken by storm and this despite the threat of a fine of 107 reais (17 euros). " People will be allowed to stay in demarcated areas, reserving through an app, " the mayor said at a press conference. “ So we can better organize something that is not working properly today, ” he explained.
Authorities in Rio had closed the city's beaches in March to fight the spread of the virus that has since killed more than 100,000 in Brazil.
On July 31, when the relative deconfinement of the city had begun, the mayor had again authorized swimming and certain aquatic activities, but sunbathing remained officially prohibited. This did not prevent thousands of people from invading the white sand beaches of the " wonderful city ", in particular Copacabana, Ipanema or Leblon these last weekends, to sunbathe or practice a sport, very few wearing a mask.
In July, the mayor had however said that he would reopen the beaches only when there was a vaccine against covid-19.
