The first 80 days of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city of Belo Horizonte : from containment to reopening.

Este artigo examina o contexto e as implica??es da pandemia por Covid-19 na cidade de Belo Horizonte (BH) nos primeiros 80 dias da doen?a. Utilizamos um recorte anal?tico descritivo para mensurar a evolu??o dos casos, o excesso de ?bitos, a taxa de transmissibilidade do v?rus e a press?o da doen?a sobre o sistema de sa?de de BH e regi?o, atrav?s da taxa de ocupa??o hospitalar nos leitos p?blicos. Al?m disso, identificamos as principais pol?ticas de conten??o adotadas pelas autoridades locais, bem como as implica??es da redu??o do distanciamento social. Nossos resultados demonstram que o Sistema ?nico de Sa?de (SUS), bem gerido, ? fundamental para o enfrentamento da pandemia e a mitiga??o de suas consequ?ncias para a popula??o. O processo de flexibiliza??o que se inicia tem imposto novos desafios que requerer?o monitoramento atento das autoridades e da sociedade.The paper examines the implications of Co vid-19 pandemic for the city of Belo Horizonte (BH), during the fi rst 80 days of the disease. We use a descriptive-analytical approach to estimate the growth of Covid-19 cases over time, the excess of deaths, the virus? rate of transmissibility, and the consequent burden on the municipal the health system, measured by the rate of occupancy of public hospital beds. Also, we identify the main containment policies adopted by local authorities, and the implications of reopen ing measures and the following reduction of social distancing. Our fi ndings reveal that a well-managed Unifi ed Health System (SUS) is paramount to effectively tackle the pan demic and its consequences for the population. The reopening process has imposed new challenges that will require close monitoring by the authorities and by the Society