Anvisa’s decision takes place after the start of vaccination with bivalent vaccines and the end of the holiday season and Carnival.| Photo: Marcello Casal JrAgência Brasil

Anvisa’s collegiate meeting decided, this Wednesday morning (1st), to suspend the mandatory use of masks on planes and airports. According to the director of the agency, Alex Machado Campos, the decision was taken after the end of the year-end and Carnival season, which increased movement in the country’s terminals.

“At the same time, the decision also coincides with the start of vaccination of the bivalent vaccine, which we have another field of safety and action to manage this risk. The risk continues, it remains, but I ask that the sound warnings on aircraft remain mainly for the immunocompromised public, for the elderly and children who have not taken the vaccine and for the importance of the mask and vaccination”, he said.

Anvisa’s decision also suspends the obligation to organize the departure of planes by rows of seats. Machado’s vote followed that of rapporteur Daniel Pereira, in the collegiate.

The use of masks and other recommendations had been mandatory since November 2022, when the decision was resumed due to the increase in the number of cases and concern for the holidays. Before that, the measure was in effect between 2020 and August 2022.