The decree by Mayor Eduardo Paes that exempts the use of protective masks, including in open places throughout the city of Rio de Janeiro, was published this afternoon in an extra edition of Official Municipal Gazette.
With this, the measure has already entered into force in the city and extends to public transport. According to Article 2 of the decree, the use of face masks is no longer mandatory to access and remain in the premises of industrial, commercial and service establishments, as well as municipal public bodies and other places, environments and vehicles for public use. restricted or controlled.
Also according to the decree, when the municipality reaches the rate of 70% of the population over 18 years of age vaccinated with the booster dose, people are exempt from prior proof of vaccination against covid-19 to access and stay inside the establishments and locations defined in Decree Rio nº 49,894, of December 1, 2021, such as bars, snack bars, restaurants; gyms; sports stadiums and gymnasiums; cinemas, theaters, concert halls; museums, galleries and exhibitions, among others.
“Individuals are exempt from prior proof of vaccination against covid-19 to access and stay inside the establishments and places listed in Decree Rio nº 49.894, of December 1, 2021, when the municipality reaches the rate of 70% of the population. over 18 years old vaccinated with the booster dose”, says Article 1 of the decree. “This decree enters into force on the date of its publication, revoked, in particular, Decree Rio nº 49.769, of November 16, 2021 and Decree Rio nº 49,766, of November 11, 2021, concludes today’s rule.
scientific committee
The decision to abolish the use of masks was taken by the municipality based on the recommendation of the Special Committee to Combat Covid-19 (CEEC), which met this Monday morning. Rio Municipal Health Secretary Daniel Soranz, who is one of the committee members, said that, considering the current epidemiological scenario, the city has the lowest transmission rate of the disease since the beginning of the pandemic. According to Soranz, the current level is 0.3 while last week it was 0.5.
The secretary added that the positivity rate of tests for covid-19 also declined and is below 5%. “We have a gradual reduction in positivity over the last few weeks. Today, of every 100 people who test for covid-19 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, less than 5% are positive for covid-19. So, we have one of the lowest positivity rates in our history”, he said, noting that the number of people hospitalized as a result of the disease corresponds to less than 1% of the total in the capital.
According to the secretary, for all these reasons, the CEEC considered that it was possible to recommend the release of the use of masks in the city of Rio, including in closed places. “It is worth remembering that, since October, the use of masks in open places was no longer mandatory and, based on this decision by the committee, Mayor Eduardo Paes will draw up a decree, so that, yes, formalize this recommendation from the Scientific Committee” , he added.
According to the secretary, the recommendation to keep, for the time being, the vaccine passport is because of the importance of the document, especially to guarantee the booster dose. “We need to increase the number of people who take the booster dose. Today we have a very positive epidemiological situation in the city of Rio de Janeiro precisely because of the high vaccination coverage, but this vaccination coverage, this protection, does not last forever. We know that this protection decreases over time and that the booster dose is essential to maintain protection at adequate levels. Our committee recommends keeping the vaccine passport, encouraging the population to take the booster dose.”
The recommendation also remains for the use of masks by people with immunosuppression, with a level of severe comorbidity or who have not been vaccinated, the same for those who have respiratory, flu or covid-19 symptoms to prevent the transmission of diseases to other people. Soranz informed that the secretariat will maintain the application of covid-19 tests and expand the service that is done in 240 units in the municipality.
For the secretary, the release of the use of masks even in closed places is not a hasty decision because the numbers give security to adopt the measure. “I do not consider. We have epidemiological indicators that give a lot of security for this decision ”, he said, remembering that this is a release, but whoever wants to, can continue using the masks.
Schools
According to Soranz, in public or private school units, it is also not necessary to wear masks. However, for children who are not yet vaccinated, the recommendation is to continue using the protective mask. “We recommend that children who have not been vaccinated wear masks, but it will no longer be mandatory to wear masks in schools.”
