São Paulo to fight coronavirus with public holidays

As a measure to fight the coronavirus spread, São Paulo state authorities plan to move two local public holidays to this week and declare two additional public holidays, suggesting the economic impact will deepen.

The state will be on holiday between May 20 and 25.

To reduce movement in public space, “we are strongly orientating [city halls] that in São Paulo metropolitan region anticipation is done. Guidance for joint action with city halls is essential ”, the secretary of regional development, Marco Pinhole, said.

"We are in a crucial month to fight the coronavirus in São Paulo, here is the epicenter of the pandemic in Brazil", he added.

Malls, stores, restaurants and pubs have remained closed since March, but movement in the streets remains high as the metropolitan area provides essentials like healthcare, industry and gas stations.

The anticipated holidays have led to criticism from financial market players, as Brazil's stock exchange is in São Paulo city.

Many states, including Rio de Janeiro, also imposed lockdowns. Often, however, small businesses keep operating as restrictions are ignored.

According to the latest numbers, Brazil registered 16,856 fatalities and 255,368 infections, trailing the US and Russia.

The first Brazilian case was detected in São Paulo metropolitan region in the first quarter. The area concentrates nearly one third of cases in the country and some intensive care units have reached their limits.