Brazil: Bolsonaro Says Gyms, Salons are 'Essential Activities'

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro decreed on May 11 a list of essential productive activities that should remain open despite the health crisis. Bolsonaro said that gyms and beauty salons are essential and should be added to the list.

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The summary, published in decree 10.344 on May 11, defines 57 essential activities and services, such as construction work and industrial production.  Also, it considers gyms, barbershops, and other beauty treatment salons as essential for the public.

The approval by the Ministry of Health is the primary condition for the reestablishment and exercise of these activities.  This new government disposition modifies a prior bill published on February 6th.

Brazil's Federal Supreme Court determined local governments could regulate the resumption of work and preventive measures-as social isolation- without national government interference. Also, essential work and services are not enforced to reopen in the short term. Small business holders could resume activities gradually. 

State governors maintain preventive measures, despite Bolsonaro´s quarantine relaxation. 

“Our restrictive measures will be maintained following globally recognized scientific criteria. Bahia will ignore the new guidelines of the Federal Government. We will maintain our standard of work and responsibility. The goal is to save lives. We will not walk away from that” tweeted Bahia state governor Rui Costa.

Brazil is one of the most affected nations in the Latin American region due to the virus. The South American nation registered 170,021 positive cases, 11,701 deaths, and 67,384 recoveries.