Brazil re-opens tourist spots amid Covid case surge

Brazil, one among the countries most devastated by the pandemic, has re-opened many of its tourist spots for the public. The Sugarloaf Mountain, Christ the Redeemer statue and the Rio Star opened on Saturday after a closure of five months. These most visited spots in Brazil’s tourist map have already embarked safety guidelines to counter the virus. The officials have imposed compulsory face masks and social distancing.

Christ the Redeemer

Getting the perfect photograph of Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue is set to prove more challenging, as visitors can no longer lie on the floor in an attempt to get the best angle at the feet of the world’s largest Art Deco statue.

Brazil’s Minister of Environment Ricardo Salles said that the reopening of the towering monument symbolizes the reopening of the country to tourism. The landmark has been closed to tourists since March, although public masses and religious events have continued to take place at the statue at the top of Corcovado Hill in Tijuca National Park.

The Sugarloaf Mountain

Sugarloaf Mountain in Bondinho Pao de Acucar tourist park also was opened on Saturday. This 396 meter high peak was also closed since the last March due to the Covid outburst. The Sugarloaf Cable Car (Bondinho Pao de Acucar), which transports tourists from Praia Vermelha to Morro da Urca and onwards to the top of Sugarloaf, has also opened, but with reduced capacity. The park will remain closed to the public two days per week.

Rio Star

The Rio Star, which is the largest Ferris Wheel in Latin America situated in Santo Cristo has also been open to the public. The officials will allow only three persons per cabin in the wheel, as part of the social distancing. Entry is definitely banned without face masks.

Beaches in Rio de Janeiro

The capital city, famous for its costume-laden carnival allowed visitors in strictly controlled fashion from August 10^th. The beach visitors will have to reserve a spot on the sand via an app. Officials had initially said that the city’s beaches could only reopen once a vaccine had been found, but Mayor Marcelo Crivella said on Monday that Rio’s world-famous beaches could reopen with clearly demarcated areas to keep people apart.

Rio authorities closed beaches in March to fight the spread of the corona virus, which has killed more than 100,000 people in Brazil, the second-highest death toll in the pandemic, after the US.

Rising Covid cases

Brazil may have to cancel the 2021 Rio de Janeiro carnival, scheduled to be conducted on February 2021 due to the pandemic. The event was supposed to attract around 2 millions of tourists to Brazil each year, which was a strong support for its economy.

Rio de Janeiro’s New Year fireworks celebrations have also changed. Instead of the regular gathering on Copacabana Beach, authorities will organize several smaller celebrations across the city and encourage people to watch them online.

Meanwhile, Brazil’s Covid cases and death tolls are rising day by day. Brazil is in the second position in the world for the number of Covid cases, behind USA. Latest reports say the number of cases as 33,18,000 in Brazil.