News from Brasilia 05/13/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia
2979 confirmed cases, 46 deaths.
Heath Secretary updates everyday at 6pm the coronavirus scenario in Federal District. You can read reports (in Portuguese) here

chart from coronavirus.df.gov.br May 13th, 2020

Date of back to school remain uncertain

Governor Ibaneis Rocha has said it's still soon to schools reopen and he even mention it could happen only in August.

Now the University of Brasilia (UNB) also announced that there is no date yet to resume classes. Vestibular, which is a test to enter the university is suspended for now.

Source: Metropoles, May 13th

The University of Brasilia (Unb)
photo: Metropoles May 13th

Cine drive in is open to business 
Cine drive in is a cultural patrimony of Brasilia. It first operated in 1973.
All movies theaters and museums remain closed in Brasilia, but you can have fun going to Cine Drive in. Attention: there is a strict recommendation that you go watch a movie only with people of your household.

photo: Jornal de Brasilia May 13th, 2020

photo from Cine Drive in Facebook

Besides Cine Drive In, what else is open for business in Brasilia?

You can read here what is open and what remain closed because of the pandemia of coronavirus

source: Official coronavirus portal of the Government of Federal District (GDF) 

News from Brasilia 05/11/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia
2740 confirmed cases, 44 deaths.

The use of mask  in public space is now compulsory in Federal District!
Fine will be applied for those who disobey the rule. R$2.000,00

Mass testing in Brasilia 

There are 10 places of drive thru testing in Brasilia. In 2 weeks of this mass testing, over 50,000 people were tested and there were 347 positive results for the new coronavirus. These exams provided by the Health Secretary of DF are free and scheduled by email. However, this quick exam is designated only for people with symptoms of cold/fever for at least 7 days. You must schedule the exam clicking here and drive to the designated place of testing using a mask (remember: the use of masks is mandatory in Brasilia starting today, including when you are in the bus or taxi- driver and passengers must wear a mask). There are 10 testing places in Federal District and you will be scheduled to the one closer to your house.

Drive thru testing places in Federal District
source: DF Health Secretary

Yesterday was mother's day! 

Mother's day is a very important date for the trade. In Brazil, after Christmas time, Mother's day is the second date when people buy more.

Woman infected with coronavirus gave birth to a health in HRAN (Hospital Regional da Asa Norte)

Photo: saude.df.gov.br May 11th 

Baby is already using a face shield (especially designed not to hurt the delicate skin). HRAN is a public hospital in the North Aisle and it's a reference hospital for patients with Covid-19 in Brasilia. More births of women tested positive for coronavirus or with the suspect of infection may happen at HRAN in the following weeks. The hospital is taking a lot of measures to minimize risk of contamination of the staff and the other patients, Source: Health Secretary website

News from Brasilia 05/09/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia

2501 confirmed cases, 37 deaths. 

source: portal Coronavirus DF

116 people tested positive for coronavirus yesterday in the drive thru mass testing. In the previous post, you can read more information about the mass testing in Brasilia and how to schedule the exam .

Supporters of president Bolsonaro went again to the Esplanada dos Ministérios to show support for Bolsonaro and protest against the judges of Brazil Supreme Court (STF).  Last week, one of the judges, Alexandre de Morais, suspended Bolsonaro's decision to nominate Alexandre Ramagem for the Head of the Federal Police (PF). The insistence of the president in changing the head of the PF was the reason appointed by Sergio Moro, former Minister of Justice, to resign. Moro didn't see a reason to fire Marcelo Valeixo (former Head of the PF). His resignation was a big happening and although Moro is not affiliated to any politic party, there is a lot of speculation if he will run for president in the next election (2022).

photo: Metropoles May 9th, 2020. Supporters of president Bolsonaro go once again to the Esplanada dos Ministerios.

  

News from Brasilia 05/08/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia

2258 confirmed cases, 35 deaths.

Full reports (in Portuguese) as well as official information from local Health Secretary you can read here

Mass testing in Brasilia 

There are 10 places of drive thru testing in Brasilia. In 2 weeks of this mass testing, over 50,000 people were tested and there were 347 positive results for the new coronavirus. These exams provided by the Health Secretary of DF are free and scheduled by email. However, this quick exam is designated only for people with symptoms of cold/fever for at least 7 days. You must schedule the exam clicking here and drive to the designated place of testing using a mask (remember: masks will be mandatory in Brasilia starting Monday, May 11th, but it is highly recommended that you already wear yours whenever you leave home) . There are 10 testing places in Federal District and you will be scheduled to the one closer to your house.

Drive thru testing places in Federal District
source: DF Health Secretary 

Only yesterday  3,900 people were tested in the drive thru testing promoted by DF Health Secretary. 40 tested positive for coronavirus

                                                                                                         photo: Health Secretary website

You make a donation and wins a piece of art from a design store of Brasilia

 

Weissenhaus, a design store located at 705 Sul (South Aisle of Plano Piloto) started a campaign to raise food donations for the poor of Brasilia. If you donate a cesta básica you get a Eames bird as the ones of the picture below.

Cesta basica is a very popular gift in Brazil for poor people. It is something like a "food basket/ grocery package". You can get that in grocery stores, for example. The cost varies depending of how many items come in the parcel. Prices start with 50 reais.

To make a donation you have to send a direct message to the store in Instagram.   @weissenhaus_

You give a "cesta básica", you get this Eames bird. Campaign of Weissenhaus store

                                                                                       photo: Metropoles May 7th, 2020

News from Brasilia 05/06/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia 
2046 confirmed cases, 35 deaths.


As I've told before, I am living in Warsaw, Poland now. We are in quarantaine for almost 2 months. Kindergartens and daycares are now allowed to open, but many parents are scared to send their kids (I would be too if I had kids of that age. Mine are older and may be back to school in the end of May. TBC). Malls are also back to business, except for the food court. Masks are mandatory and before entering a shop you must apply hand sanitizer. After staying at home for so long, something unexpected (for me, since I've always liked to be outdoors) happened: I got used to stay at home. And I recently discovered that I could ask Alexa to play radio CBN Brasilia. So whenever I am cooking or doing the dishes, I can choose either to listen to the best of the "local" (Chopin) or news live from Brasilia. Cool.
I've just heard in the radio about a project that I found simple, beautiful and touching. INUMERÁVEIS (Innumerable). It is a virtual memorial about the victims of Covid-19 in Brazil. The idea is somehow honor who died from this terrible disease. The victims, says the organizer of the project, are not numbers or statistics. They were real. They were people from various ages who had dreams, family, friends. They can't be forgotten.

News from Brasilia 05/05/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia
1818 confirmed cases, 33 deaths.
All the information about the coronavirus in Federal District as well as the most updated numbers and reports, you can read at the portal http://www.coronavirus.df.gov.br/

Elderly in hotel during pandemia 
Around 300 elderly people (who live in vulnerable situation)  are temporarily living in Brasilia Palace Hotel. It is part of the project "Sua vida vale muito. Hotelaria Solidária"/ Your live worths a lot. . DF Government is paying for this group to stay in a hotel for 3 months. 

photo: Agencia Brasilia May 5th, 2020

Occupancy rate of ICUs in Brasilia
As you read in the post of yesterday, less than 30% of the ICU beds are occupied in Brasilia. However, the occupancy rate at HRAN (the public hospital of Asa Norte and reference in the treatment of Covid-19) is now 100%.
Ibaneis, Governor of DF, determined that private hospitals are now obliged to inform in real time the occupancy rate of ICUs.
Source: G1 Globo. May 4th, 2020  

News from Brasilia 05/04/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia
1720 confirmed cases, 33 deaths. Full report you can read here
Source: Health Secretary of DF

ICU in Brasilia for patients with Covid-19
There are 172 beds in intensive care unit available for patients with Covid-19 and the occupancy rate now is 28%. However, at HRAN (Hospital Regional da Asa Norte), a reference hospital for patients with Covid-19 all the 10 beds at ICU are occupied now.
Source: Metropoles May4th 

By the way HRAN is also a reference hospital to get immunization when traveling abroad. The hospital has the "sala do viajante" (traveler room) where you can get information about the vaccines needed for different countries. You can schedule an appointment by phone or email. More information here

News from Brasilia 05/02/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia
1546 confirmed cases, 31 deaths.
Source: official data from Health Secretary. Full report (in Portuguese) you can read here

ICU's of Brasilia designated to patients with Covid-19 have occupancy rate of 35%.
Some other cities in Brazil, as Manaus, are in worse situation, with occupancy rates over 90%.

Mass testing in Brasilia
There were some changes of places, but the procedure is the same. You have to schedule the exam first (https://sistemas.df.gov.br/mteste/)  and you will be tested in a drive thru in the designated place closer to your home after you get an email. Attention: this quick test is recommended for people with symptoms of cold or fever for  at least 7 days.

 

photo: Agencia Brasilia, May 1st, 2020

News from Brasilia May1st, 2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia
1537 confirmed cases, 30 deaths

Shops and malls remain closed until (at least) May 11th
Also, the fiscalization about the compulsory use of masks will begin in May 11th as well. Governor Ibaneis Rocha explained that he decided to postpone the fiscalization to give more time for the population to get the masks. Some institutions are donation thousands of masks and Fabrica Social (Social Fabric where poor students, mainly women, get a vocational training) are producing 2,000 masks a day. The students get a percentage of each mask produced.

Social Fabric of Brasilia. Students get a percentage of each mask produced.
photo: Agência Brasília 

Mass testing in Brasilia 
source: website of the local Government 

There will be no testing today, May 1st!! 

In 8 days of mass testing in Brasilia, over 35,000 quick tests (with results in 30 minutes) were made and 204 people were tested positive. There are some points of drive thru testing. You have to schedule the test  at https://sistemas.df.gov.br/mteste/.

This quick test is designated only for people who has the Covid-19 symptoms for at least a week. 

Drive thru Covid-19 testing in Brasilia. photo: Agência Brasília April 28th, 2020.

If you are eligible to be tested, you will be tested in the test point of the region you live (see bellow) after you get a confirmation by email:

Águas Claras or Taguatinga:
Uniplan
Unieuro
Residência Oficial do Governador 

Asas Sul e Norte, Sudoeste, Noroeste, Cruzeiro/Octogonal:
Parque da Cidade – Estacionamento 4 

Estádio Mané Garrincha

Lago Sul (South Lake), Paranoá, Jardim Botânico:
Paróquia São Pedro de Alcântara – St. de Habitações Individuais Sul EQI 7/9 – Lago Sul

Lago Norte (North Lake)
Iguatemi Shopping

Guará, Núcleo Bandeirante, Candangolândia and Park Sul:
ParkShopping

News from Brasilia 04/29/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia
1230 confirmed cases (it represents an increase of 41 new cases in 24h) , 28 deaths.
source: DF Health Secretary. You can read a daily full epidemiological report (in Portuguese) of the Covid-19 in Brasilia clicking here

Use of mask will be compulsory in Brasilia starting tomorrow, April 30th


*update!!! (May1st). 
The compulsory use of masks, with fee penalty for who disobey, was postponed for May 11th.

Do you have your masks ready? Compulsory use in Brasilia starting tomorrow.
This masked boy is my son Davi : )

Do you have your masks at home? Health authorities have been asking that we buy or sew at home cloth masks in order to leave the cirurgical masks to the health professionals.

As I told you, I am living in Poland and I have bought from a local sewer excellent cloth masks. I even did a second order to have some extra masks at home and also to give to friends (face masks as a gift! OMG, this is crazy. But this is what it is, right?)

I just read at THE GUIDE- Brasilia that they are selling masks with 3 layers of protection. You can see the models and order in English. Click here


Mass testing in Brasilia
source: website of the local Government 

In the first week of mass testing in Brasilia, over 5,000 quick tests (with results in 30 minutes) were made and 16 people were tested positive. There are some points of drive thru testing. You have to schedule the test  at www.teste.df.gov.br. This quick test is designated only for people who has the Covid-19 symptoms for at least a week. 

Drive thru Covid-19 testing in Brasilia. photo: Agência Brasília April 28th, 2020.

If you are eligible to be tested, you will be tested in the test point of the region you live (see bellow) after you get a confirmation by email:

Águas Claras or Taguatinga:
Uniplan
Unieuro
Residência Oficial do Governador 

Asas Sul e Norte, Sudoeste, Noroeste, Cruzeiro/Octogonal:
Parque da Cidade – Estacionamento 4 

Estádio Mané Garrincha

Lago Sul (South Lake), Paranoá, Jardim Botânico:
Paróquia São Pedro de Alcântara – St. de Habitações Individuais Sul EQI 7/9 – Lago Sul

Lago Norte (North Lake)
Iguatemi Shopping

Guará, Núcleo Bandeirante, Candangolândia and Park Sul:
ParkShopping

News from Brasilia 04/27/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia
1253 confirmed cases, 27 deaths

Mass testing in some regions of Brasilia
If you have symptoms of cold for at least 7 days, you can schedule a drive thru Covid-19 test for free. Click here 

photo: Metropoles April 26th, 2020.

Flower monuments of Brasilia
To celebrate Brasilia 60th anniversary, the artists Higor Lima and Rogério Salustiano made plants and flowers projects representing important monuments of Brasilia. You can see the exhibition until April 30th at Ceasa.

photo: Agência Brasília April 26th, 2020

News from Brasilia 04/26/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia 
1181 confirmed cases, 27 deaths.
Full report released by the Health Secretary you can read (in Portuguese) here

Mass Coronavirus testing in Brasilia - drive thru
Mass testing started at Plano Piloto and Aguas Claras last week. Now there are more places where people can be tested by drive thru system. To avoid long car lines, now it is required to do a sign in (quick registration) before going to the places of the test. You will get by email a confirmation of the appointment for the testing with place and time. It is important to remind that this test is for people who have symptoms only. If you want to schedule a test, click here

Mass testing in Brasilia. Covid- 19 . photo: Jornal de Brasilia. April 26th, 2020

Date of the reopening of the schools is still uncertain 
Ibaneis Rocha, Governor of DF, said today he still doesn't know when the schools will reopen to the students. After Ibaneis met president Bolsonaro last week, it was rumoured that the civic-military schools could reopen earlier than the other public schools. Many parents who have their kids in these schools were worried about that. But now there is no date defined to reopening of any school in DF, public or private.

News from Brasilia 04/24/2020

I know this blog is supposed to bring you local news. I am updating the coronavirus numbers in Brasilia and so. But today Brazil is in shock. The most popular Minister of the Federal Government, Sergio Moro, resigned his job as Minister of Justice and National Security.
Moro alleges he was not consulted by the president about the change in the PF (Federal Police) Head of command and he can't agree the PF work without full autonomy to conduct its investigations.

Sergio Moro is an icon in Brazil. He was the judge who helped bring to light the monstrous corruption scheme in Brazil. Many politicians went to jail, including the former president Lula.
Sergio Moro was considered one of the 100 most influential people by Time magazine. President Bolsonaro's team just lost its most shining star. Moro had to resign his career as a judge when he accepted the invitation of President Bolsonaro to be in his Government. Now Moro says he will get some rest and then look for a job. I am pretty sure there will be many door opened for him and my wish is that he continues his fight against corruption. Thank you, Moro, for all you have done to Brazil!

Photo: Time Magazine. The 100 Most Influential People

Now back to Brasilia....

Coronavirus in DF
1106 confirmed cases, 30 people in intensive care units.

From April 30th on, wearing face masks will be compulsory in Brasilia. Please get prepared.

News from Brasília 04/22/2020

Coronavirus in Brasilia
960 confirmed cases, 25 deaths due to Covid-19.

30 millions reais to fund research and studies about the new coronavirus
The Governor of DF, Ibaneis Rocha, signed today a partnership with the University of Brasilia (UNB) to fund studies and research about coronavirus, including tests to detect the virus.

Elderly people in a hotel in Brasilia
Elderly people who don't have conditions to do an ideal self isolation are being accommodated at Brasilia Palace Hotel, as part of the project "Sua vida vale muito- Hotelaria solidária". The goal is to assist 300 elderly people.