Rio Carnival 2022
19 Apr 2022
Rio Carnival 2022 was postponed until April 2022 due to an increase in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant. Carnival was originally meant to take place between 25 February to 01 March.
The Rio mayor announced in January 2022 via media sources that the street carnivals and events are cancelled this year due to an increase in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant.
The official Samba parade held in Rio’s Sambadrome stadium is still scheduled to proceed on 22, 23 and 30 April 2022 with additional health precautions in place.
- see LIESA website for further information on the Samba parade.
Many other cities in Brazil have cancelled this years’ carnival events.
Advice for Travellers
If you are planning on travelling to Brazil for Carnival, you should:
- be aware that international travel guidance and guidance on attending carnival events may change at short notice
- review the latest FCDO foreign travel advice for Brazil including entry requirements and quarantine restrictions
- make sure you are up to date with UK recommendations on COVID-19 vaccination
- if you are at increased risk of severe COVID-19, you should carefully consider your travel plans and consider seeking medical advice prior to making any decisions about travelling
- ensure you are able to comply with COVID-19 prevention measures during travel and at your destination: further information on this can be found in the COVID-19: Health Considerations for Travel page
Furthermore, if you are planning to attend Carnival celebrations in Brazil, you should consider:
- if you are up to date with your routine UK schedule vaccinations
- to check if you need any travel vaccinations or boosters before travel; you can find this out in the 'vaccinations' section of the Brazil country page
- being aware in some parts of Brazil there are viruses present which are spread by mosquito bites, including malaria, yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya and zika virus: know how to protect yourself against mosquito bites
- having valid comprehensive travel insurance which covers COVID-19 related illness or unexpected delays, and all of the activities you are planning on your trip
- how you can avoid insect bites and take care with food and water safety precautions, respiratory hygiene and hand hygiene during travel and when you are abroad
- reviewing the advice on personal safety, accident prevention, sun safety and sexual health risks
You should see a travel health professional if you require any further advice or information on any of the above points.
If you become unwell after you return to the UK with a high temperature (fever) or flu-like illness, you should seek urgent medical advice. Always tell the healthcare professional about your recent travel abroad, particularly if you have travelled into an area where malaria is a risk.