Loosening quarantine in state capitals could impact the countryside

Loosening social isolation measures in major cities might have a dangerous impact in the Brazilian countryside, according to a study by the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV). By comparing health and mobility data, researchers concluded the novel coronavirus has more freedom to spread to smaller cities that have not developed immunity yet. “We need to guarantee it is safe in the countryside,” said Silvio Ferreira, one of the authors of the study. “Otherwise, we will reach a homogeneous peak throughout the country. That is the worst-case scenario.”

Smaller cities are implementing their own social isolation plans to prevent this scenario. On Labor Day, mayors from São Paulo’s coast cities formally requested Governor João Dória to block access routes to these cities. As of yesterday, around 60 percent of the state’s cases were located in the capital. 

Last month, our data editor, Marcelo Soares, explained how the virus spreads to the countryside — and its potential dangers.

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