The State of São Paulo decrees a curfew and closes beaches, schools and churches to relieve hospitals

A family says goodbye at the funeral of a loved one who died of COVID-19 in São Paulo, Brazil, this Thursday when the curfew was announced.Andre Penner / AP

The governor of the State of São Paulo, João Doria, announced this Thursday the tightening of restrictions to stop infections and relieve ICUs this Thursday, a day after Brazil recorded 2,286 deaths, the highest number of the pandemic.

Starting next Monday and for 15 days, there will be a curfew between eight in the afternoon and five in the morning;

state schools will suspend classes (only open to distribute food), churches, beaches and parks will close, and the local soccer league will not be played.

It is estimated that 4.5 million people will stop circulating in the São Paulo metropolitan area.

São Paulo, the most populous state in Brazil, is one of those that is tightening restrictions due to the spectacular increase in cases, which has pushed public and private hospital networks to the limit in practically the entire country.

Governors and mayors are taking different measures to contain the epidemic as the vaccination process progresses slowly.

Fifty-three municipalities, 8% of the total, have 100% of the beds occupied, according to the state government.

At the press conference in which he announced the measures, Doria showed a video indicating that several state hospitals already have all their beds occupied.

"There are not enough professionals to put more beds," said the governor, who was reluctant to adopt restrictive measures despite pleas from specialists.

Now, he said that the measures that have been taken are necessary even if they undermine his popularity.

The governor closed the churches, although he recently included them in the list of essential activities of the state.

Teleworking will be mandatory for non-essential administrative activities, both for private companies and public bodies.

It is recommended to wear a mask outside and also in closed places, even in small gatherings inside the house.

It can only be circulated during the curfew in cases of absolute necessity, and crowds are prohibited.

State public schools will only remain open to feed students and distribute materials, always by appointment.

The Easter and October holidays will also be anticipated, which will take place from March 15 to 28.

"If necessary, we will advance the July holidays as well," declared the Secretary of Education, Rossieli Soares.

It is recommended that private schools also follow these guidelines, although they will be free to decide what to do.

The Government also established schedules for the use of public transport to avoid crowds.

It is suggested that industry workers use it from 5 to 7 in the morning;

workers in the service sector from 7 to 9;

and those who work in commerce from 9 to 11. “We cannot limit ourselves to increasing the number of beds.

We are doing it and we will increase it even more, but everyone has to collaborate and be responsible ”, warned the Secretary of Health, Jean Gorinchteyn.

“The situation has continued to worsen after decreeing the red phase and more restrictive measures are needed.

We do not want to limit life, but to protect it.

And science has shown how to do it ”, added Paulo Menezes, coordinator of the Contingency Center.

Hundreds on the waiting list

The Secretary of Health of São Paulo, Jean Gorinchteyn, pointed out that in the State there is a list of 2,046 people waiting for a bed, there are 9,144 patients with covid-19 hospitalized and the average income in ICUs is 150 people a day.

The ICU occupancy rate in the State is around 87.6%.

The daily average of hospitalizations this week is 2,379 (9.8% more than last week), while the daily average of deaths is 12.3% greater than last week: 319. Since the start of the pandemic , there have been 2,164,066 infections and 63,010 deaths from coronavirus in São Paulo.

“The speed of the pandemic is much faster, it affects a greater number of people in a short period of time, several of our hospitals are already in a critical situation.

It is the greatest health crisis of all time, ”Gorinchteyn said.

Before the press conference, Doria anticipated that he would announce more restrictive measures in a video that he posted on his social networks.

“Brazil is collapsing and, if we don't stop the virus, it will be no different in São Paulo.

We will have to adopt more restrictive measures.

It is the only way, at this moment, to contain the acceleration of deaths.

No ruler likes to stop economic activities, "he said.

The experts from the São Paulo State Contingency Center had been pressuring the governor for weeks to tighten the restrictive measures, but only at the beginning of this month did Doria give in and put the entire State in the red phase.

That is, only essential activities such as supermarkets, public transport and pharmacies can function.

However, schools, churches and sports centers were open.

The new restrictions mean halting the São Paulo soccer championship, known as Paulistão, the country's largest regional tournament.

Since it was played again, on February 27, three games have been played and it is scheduled to end in May.

Last year, the competition was discontinued on March 16 and only returned more than four months later.

As the restrictions will only begin next Monday, during the weekend the fourth day of the championship will be played in full.

The Paulista Soccer Federation and the clubs have tried to get a pulse with the Government, arguing that the soccer sanitary protocol is safe, but Doria paid attention to the specialists of the Contingency Center.

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