Brazil lifts mask mandates nationwide

The Brazilian federal government published an ordinance on Friday officially exempting states from enforcing any sort of mask mandates in workplaces. Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga had already told the press that the move would come early in April. Companies are no longer required to provide face masks to workers for them to use in workplaces.

Lifting mask mandates is yet another step the government plans to take in order to create the sense that Brazil has already beaten the pandemic – something experts disagree with. Earlier this year, President Jair Bolsonaro said the Health Ministry would downgrade the health emergency. 

The idea was discarded due to the consequences for vaccine regulations (the Sinovac and Janssen immunizers only have emergency-use authorization).

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