A vaccination experiment known as 'Project S' transformed one small Brazilian city

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How a vaccination experiment known as 'Project S' transformed one small Brazilian city

Serrana (CNN)Hope has returned to the small city of Serrana, Brazil, after researchers vaccinated almost its entire adult population in a city-wide medical experiment this spring.

"Everything is practically open now, and the atmosphere is so different, so much lighter and joyful. We feel safe while the other cities around us are in a very difficult situation," says Ricardo Luiz, owner of a well-known restaurant in Serrana.

Four months after the kickoff of the experiment known as Project S, this quiet city surrounded by sugar plantations has acquired an atmosphere of pre-pandemic days, Luiz says.

His business is getting back on its feet after one year of hardship and it's currently bringing in 70% of the revenue it made before the pandemic.

"People feel safe to leave the house," he says, adding that he no longer feels afraid for his family or acquaintances traversing the city's hot and dry streets. "We know everyone here, and nowadays it's rare to hear about cases and deaths," he says.

Nationwide, Brazil has the second-highest number of deaths from Covid-19 in the world, after the US, and it is heading to its third wave with daily cases and deaths on the rise. Only 10% of Brazil´s population is fully vaccinated.

But people living in Serrana say they're experiencing a very different reality, thanks to Project S.

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