Folks, it's definately on again this month

In its quarterly production report, Vale cited wet weather in the Northern system as one reason for the poorer performance there last quarter- especially at Serra Norte

Well, just have a look at the 14 day weather forecast for Paraupebas atm. 14 consecutive days of thunderstorms. And these are no ordinary thunderstorms. This is the Amazon rain forest variety.

https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/Parauapebas+Par%C3%A1+Brazil?canonicalCityId=441d9e4eee205630f8c80a162465a4f7c1c0e4397e3fb0ed30b9f06d80af3afa

In Brazil, they call this season the Amazon winter. It's also the season when respiratory disease infections normally peak.

There could not be a worse time for an outbreak of the Amazon varient (P1) of the novel carona virus to reach Para.

Helder, better ban flights from Amazonas, and not just the boats coming down the Amazon from the neighbouring state.

"Para’s state government said there are still no restrictions on air travel to and from Amazonas, but this is under discussion."

HEALTHCARE

JANUARY 14, 202111:37 PMUPDATED 25 DAYS AGO

Brazil's Para state bans boats from neighbor Amazonas over COVID-19 spread

ByReuters Staff

3 MIN READ

Amazonas state capital Manaus was one of the worst-hit Brazilian cities in the first wave of the virus last year and is creaking badly again in the second wave. Concern is also mounting for the state’s indigenous people in remote areas up and down the Amazon River.

“We are publishing a state decree tomorrow prohibiting the circulation of boats with passengers from the neighboring state of Amazonas,” Para governor Helder Barbalho said in a video messaged published on social media late on Wednesday.

“This is a preventive and fundamental measure so that we can prevent the spread of contagion within the state of Para and subsequent health problems in the face of the pandemic. Therefore, I inform everyone that starting tomorrow (Thursday) our borders will be closed to the state of Amazonas,” he added.

Para’s state government said there are still no restrictions on air travel to and from Amazonas, but this is under discussion. The decree published Thursday in the official state gazette did not mention overland travel.

The state of Amazonas, where nearly 6,000 people have died from COVID-19, is now suffering a devastating second wave that is pushing emergency services to a breaking point.

So many were infected in Manaus during the first wave that some scientists thought the city of 2 million people might have been approaching herd immunity. But that projection has proved well wide of the mark.

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has consistently downplayed the gravity of COVID-19, calling it “a little flu” and criticizing lockdowns and social distancing measures. He has argued that lockdowns damage Brazil’s economy and leave many out of work.

Many states issued tough lockdown and quarantine measures last year but have since relaxed them.

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-brazil-amazon/brazils-para-state-bans-boats-from-neighbor-amazonas-over-covid-19-spread-idUSL1N2JP155