Abstract
Abstract We analyzed the social isolation relaxation strategies adopted by the twelve biggest Brazilian cities in 2020, in relation to the number of cases, number of deaths and the effective reproduction number (Rt), which are internationally considered the fundamental epidemiological criteria for allowing wider population mobility in public spaces. The Brazilian central government has not set unique guidelines neither for closure nor for opening, and states and cities have taken the lead in strategy definition. Until July 31 2020, in Belém do Pará, Fortaleza, Manaus, Recife and Rio de Janeiro, where the epidemic peak had already been surpassed, and in Salvador and São Paulo, in which the peak seemed to be already reached, the Rt curve followed a decreasing path after the openings. Porto Alegre, a city in which the epidemic curve was flattened, had an increase in Rt after the start of relaxation. In Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Curitiba and Goiânia, where the curve was also flattened, the Rt remained stable after the opening. The decision on how to operationalize the relaxation of social isolation and the speed with which it happened was heterogeneous among the cities studied. Also, broad population testing strategies were not done in any of the cities.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic is presently the biggest sanitary and humanitarian emergency in the world
COVID-19 cases and deaths are still growing in Brazil, several states and cities have already started their mobility restriction relaxation
Such autonomy was supported by a Federal Supreme Court decision, which recognized the concurrent jurisdiction of States, Federal District and cities to legislate on public health, trusting to these entities the prerogatives of isolation, quarantine and locomotion and circulation banning, as well as the provision of public services and the definition of essential activities[4]
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic is presently the biggest sanitary and humanitarian emergency in the world. COVID-19 cases and deaths are still growing in Brazil, several states and cities have already started their mobility restriction relaxation. The drivers of this process seem to be: i) fatigue related to the long isolation process; ii) productive activity reduction that affected formal and informal jobs; iii) revenue frustration of the three government levels; iv) activism against isolation measures. According to Brazilian federalism, the city administration is responsible for deciding the population mobility level Such autonomy was supported by a Federal Supreme Court decision, which recognized the concurrent jurisdiction of States, Federal District and cities to legislate on public health, trusting to these entities the prerogatives of isolation, quarantine and locomotion and circulation banning, as well as the provision of public services and the definition of essential activities[4]
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