Sao Paulo Quickens Reopening as Virus Recedes in Early Hot Spot

(Bloomberg) -- Sao Paulo, the largest city in South America, will begin to open movie theaters and museums this weekend for the first time since March as the Brazilian metropolis advances to one of the final phases of its reopening plan with infections declining.

The change follows improving virus numbers in the state, Brazil’s largest and the first to be hit by the coronavirus pandemic. With cases and deaths declining and ICUs about 43% full, about 76% of the state’s population is now on the so-called “phase green,” Governor Joao Doria and Mayor Bruno Covas said in a press conference Friday.

Covas said movie theaters, museums, theaters and other cultural events are authorized to resume operations as of Saturday as part of the fourth of five phases in a plan to reopen the economy that began in June. The plan divided the state into roughly 20 so-called health areas and assigned grades ranging from one to five -- level one signifying the need for the tightest restrictions, and level five the least.

In about a month, business and cultural events with a standing audience such as conferences will also be allowed to resume in parts of the state. Covas said attendance will be limited to 600 people in the city. There will be an approval process for events with as many as 2,000 people.

All sectors are also authorized to extend working hours to 12 and maximum capacity to 60% from 40%. Large concerts, parties and night clubs are still not allowed across the state, neither are fans at professional sports games. The criteria to progress to the final phase of the plan -- the so-called “phase blue,” or “controlled normal” -- is still unclear, and might include a vaccine.

Sao Paulo is Brazil’s most populous state with some 45 million people, and it’s richest, accounting for almost 30% of gross domestic product. The state recorded the country’s first case of coronavirus back in February. Since then, it’s seen infections surge to over 1 million -- about 20% of the national toll -- and has recorded about 37,000 deaths. The state, one of the first to announce quarantine measures, has a partnership to distribute and produce Sinovac Biotech Ltd.’s coronavirus vaccine currently being tested.

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