SAO PAULO (AP) 鈥� Bars in Brazil鈥檚 biggest metropolis, Sao Paulo, are full again for Friday happy hours and lawmakers in the capital have nearly done away with video sessions via Zoom. Rio de Janeiro鈥檚 beaches are packed and calls for strict social distancing seem but a memory.
These developments are part of Brazil鈥檚 bid to return to pre-pandemic normalcy, even as its death toll tops 600,000, according to official data on Friday from the health ministry. Relief in both COVID-19 cases and deaths have been particularly welcome given experts鈥� warnings that the delta variant would produce another wave of destruction in the country with the second-most victims. So far, that hasn鈥檛 materialized.
The country鈥檚 average daily death toll has hovered around 500 for a month, . Almost 45% of the population is fully vaccinated, and a booster shot is 小蓝视频 administered to the elderly. A greater percentage of Brazilians is at least partially vaccinated compared to Americans or Germans, according to Our World in Data, an online research site.
Improvement has encouraged mayors and governors to admit fans into soccer matches, and let bars and restaurants stay open until the wee hours. Some are even contemplating the end of mask mandates, which people often ignore already. And Rio鈥檚 mayor has announced plans to bring back the city鈥檚 massive New Year鈥檚 Eve party on Copacabana beach.
Mauricio Savarese, The Associated Press
