The Campinas region reverts to the red phase and businesses will be closed.
Campinas (SP) was in phase 2-orange and was allowed to open street shops, shopping malls, and car dealerships. Now, with the determination of the state government, the region will return to quarantine, only allowing essential services to open, such as logistics, supply, security, and health.
By Elaine Patricia Cruz – Reporter for Agência Brasil - São Paulo
With the worsening occupancy rate of intensive care unit (ICU) beds intended for the treatment of coronavirus cases, the Campinas region, in the interior of São Paulo, will have to go back a phase, returning to phase 1-red, of maximum alert, of the São Paulo Plan from next Monday (6).
Campinas was in phase 2-orange and could open street businesses, the malls and the dealerships. Now, with the state government's decision, the region will return to quarantine, with only essential services allowed to open, such as logistics, supply, security, and health.
Last week, the Coronavirus Contingency Center in São Paulo, responsible for the guidelines of the São Paulo Plan, had already recommended that the city of Campinas close the commercial establishments foreseen in the orange phase again. But now, with the worsening of the indicator, the Center has determined that all municipalities in the Campinas region return to the red phase.
“Today, due to the hospital capacity of the region, it [the Campinas region] enters the red phase,” said Marco Vinholi, Secretary of Regional Development. The average occupancy rate of ICU beds in the region is currently around 80%.
Today (3), the mayor of Campinas, Jonas Donizete, had already announced the return of the region to the red phase. “Campinas was reclassified to the red phase, according to state rules, and will return to operating with essential services. Although we were in the orange phase, we had already restricted the operation of commerce,” said the mayor.
According to the city hall, establishments that do not comply with the rules, either by opening improperly or by not respecting sanitary rules, may be fined R$ 1.446,44. In case of recurrence, the fine doubles, and on the third offense the establishment is closed for the duration of the quarantine. A decree detailing the essential activities that may operate in Campinas will be published in an extraordinary edition this Saturday (4).
In addition to Campinas, the following regions in São Paulo state remain in the red phase, indicating maximum restrictions: Araçatuba, Bauru, Franca, Marília, Piracicaba, Presidente Prudente, Registro, Ribeirão Preto, and Sorocaba.
The areas of Araraquara, Baixada Santista, Barretos, São João da Boa Vista, São José do Rio Preto, and Taubaté, as well as the East (Alto Tietê), North (Franco da Rocha), and West (Osasco) sub-regions of Greater São Paulo, are now in the orange phase. The orange phase allows operation at 20% capacity for general offices, real estate agencies, street commerce, etc. malls and dealerships.
Furthermore, there are three regions in the yellow phase: the capital of São Paulo and two metropolitan sub-regions, which include the ABC region and the Taboão da Serra region. The yellow phase allows the reopening of bars, restaurants, and beauty salons at 40% capacity and daily operating hours of up to six hours.
The São Paulo Plan is divided into five phases, ranging from the maximum level of restriction on non-essential activities (red) to stages identified as control (orange), easing (yellow), partial opening (green), and controlled normality (blue). The São Paulo Plan is also regionalized, meaning the state has been divided into 17 regions, each classified into one of these phases.