Use of masks on public transport in São Paulo becomes mandatory again after hospitalizations increase by 156%.

The State Government, together with the City of São Paulo, published today (24) the return of the mandatory use of masks on public transport (buses, subways, trains and their respective access points, such as boarding stations). 

The rule comes into effect from Saturday (26) and will be published in the State Official Gazette this Friday (25).

The Government mentions the importance of vaccination with all recommended doses, reinforcing that the most effective way to reduce the effects of the virus is immunization.

Doses are available throughout the state at health centers.

Official Government channel for questions and queries:

The State Government has made an official WhatsApp channel available to answer frequently asked questions, check the vaccination schedule and pre-register.

Access clicking here or save the contact (11)95220-2923 and send a message to receive instructions.

Official note from the Management Board

Technical analysis of the Management Board of the State Secretariat for Science, Research and Development in Health against the advance of Covid-19 cases

In recent weeks, the State of São Paulo has seen a significant increase in the transmission of Sars-Cov-2, which is mainly reflected in the indicators of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in ward and ICU beds, which in the last 14 days show an increase of 156% and 97.5%, respectively, reaching a daily average of more than 400 new hospitalizations.

The speed of increase in hospitalizations (5% per day for ICU patients and 7% per day for patients in wards) and ICU bed occupancy rates (44% in the State of São Paulo and 59% in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo) is accentuated and is beginning to put pressure on the public and private health systems.

Although there are signs that the hospitalization curve is reaching a plateau in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, there is a trend towards the interior, with an increase in new hospitalizations and occupation of ICU beds in the interior and coastal regions of São Paulo. Added to this is a growing number of health professionals taking time off work due to COVID-19.

Several subvariants of the Ômicron variant are currently circulating, with the BA.5 subvariant still predominant and a progressive increase in cases related to the BQ1 subvariant. Hospitalizations mainly involve older patients and/or those with comorbidities/immunosuppressed patients, who are more vulnerable to decompensations and complications related to Sars-Cov-2 infection, which allows us to predict an increase in deaths in the coming weeks. Given the current situation, the SCPDS Management Board presents the following recommendations:

Recommendations:

– Reinforce with greater emphasis the need for all adults over 18 years of age to receive booster doses of vaccines. There are still 10 million adults who have not received the 1st booster dose and 7 million without the 2nd booster dose, and the need to increase vaccination coverage for children and adolescents. There has been an increase in hospitalizations in this population group and vaccination is necessary and safe to protect our children and adolescents.

– Reinforce the need for antiviral treatment to be available to people with COVID-19 with mild or moderate symptoms, especially in vulnerable groups, to avoid serious conditions that could lead to hospitalization and eventual loss of life.

– Reiterate the recommendation to reinstate the mandatory use of masks in situations of greater risk of virus transmission, notably on public transport, reinforcing the need for mandatory use of masks in health services, including pharmacies, where there is a greater likelihood of symptomatic people seeking testing and symptomatic medication for flu-like symptoms.

– Recommend the use of masks for the most vulnerable population groups, including the elderly and people with comorbidities.

This Council continues to monitor the pandemic and may speak out as public health needs arise.

Guidelines for the use of masks

Source and reproduction: Government of Sao Paulo Portal https://www.saopaulo.sp.gov.br/noticias-coronavirus/governo-e-prefeitura-de-sp-decidem-retomar-obrigatoriedade-do-uso-de-mascara/.