In December 2019, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, emerged in
Wuhan, China, and quickly spread globally, being declared a pandemic by the WHO in March
2020.Because it is a new virus, countries have adopted non-pharmacological measures, such
as hand hygiene, use of masks and contact restrictions (social distancing, isolation and
lockdown). Despite the health benefits, many parks were closed due to the lockdown.
Google’s Mobility Report and the media played a key role in providing information and
updates on the evolving COVID-19 situation. In this sense, the objective of this study was to
analyze the government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in three municipalities in the
state of Tocantins and its implications on population behavior and use of spaces. To this end,
a qualitative-quantitative approach was adopted, being conducted in three phases: the first
phase analyzed the governance, health structure and mobility of the population in the
municipalities of Araguaína, Gurupi and Palmas, using data from March to December 2020.
In the second phase, a reflection was carried out on the management of green spaces during
the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the city of Palmas-TO, analyzing mobility restriction
policies and news coverage in three portals: G1 Tocantins, Portal Cleber Toledo and T1
Notícias. In the third and final phase, a case study was carried out in the São João Settlement
Project, to assess community resilience, environmental health conditions and the community's
response to the pandemic. The three municipalities presented similar socioeconomic
indicators, but differed in terms of health indicators and COVID-19 contamination. In
Araguaína, there was an explosion of positive cases and deaths at the beginning of the
pandemic. In Palmas, despite having a similar scenario, the administration managed to delay
the advance of the pandemic. In Gurupi, the evolution of the pandemic occurred at a slower
rate. Regarding mobility, three municipalities initially showed strong adherence to the
measures and mobility was reduced. However, as the pandemic progressed, each presented a
different scenario. The analysis of urban green spaces in Palmas revealed that during the
pandemic, part of society became aware of the importance of green spaces for physical and
mental health. And the limitation of the use of these areas during the first months of the
pandemic negatively impacted the daily lives of the population. Despite restrictions on use
imposed by the municipal administration, there was an increase in park visits. Regarding the
behavior and coping with the pandemic by the rural community, despite the challenges faced
by residents of the São João Settlement Project during the pandemic, they demonstrated self-
determination that contributed to increased community resilience. Despite all the suffering it has brought us, the COVID-19 event has educational value and can help us rethink attitudes
and actions to face it. This research showed the importance of including socio-environmental
diversity in discussions and the importance of knowledge and autonomy for subjects who
relate to nature in a more direct and autonomous way.
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