Brazil Approves Sinovac and AstraZeneca Shots, Begins Vaccinations
With Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines' approval for emergency use, Brazil has started its nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
Brazil's health regulator has greenlighted both Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines' urgent use on Sunday. Brazil currently has six million doses of Sinovac's vaccine, awaiting distribution in the next few days.
It is also waiting for the arrival of two million doses of vaccine made by AstraZeneca and partner Oxford University.
Ethel Maciel, an epidemiologist at the Federal University of Espirito Santo, said in an Associated Press report that the six million doses are still not enough.
"It will not allow the entire population at risk to be fully immunized, nor is it clear how quickly the country will obtain more vaccines," Maciel noted.
Brazil's health regulator Anvisa rejected an application for the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine. The application was submitted by the Brazilian pharmaceutical company União Química.
The health regulator said it did not evaluate the application as it did not meet the minimum requirements to start an analysis.
Brazil Vaccination Program
On Monday, Brazil started its vaccination program with expectations that the rollout will be painfully slow due to delayed imports. According to a Channel News Asia report, Brazilians start the vaccination after weeks of delays and political disputes.
A 54-year-old nurse in Sao Paolo, Monica Calazans, was the first person to be vaccinated in the country. Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro had faced criticisms due to the lack of immunization efforts.
The country has recorded more than 200,000 deaths to COVID-19, the pandemic's worst death toll outside the United States.
The Butantan Institute, run by Sao Paulo state, still needs another shipment of Sinovac's ingredients by the end of the month to hit its goal of 46 million doses by April.
Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello admonished Sao Paulo Governor João Doria on Sunday for what he described as an illegal "marketing ploy" for allowing the vaccinations in Sao Paulo before the official vaccine distribution.
Bolsonaro added fuel to the fire on Monday when he told supporters outside the presidential palace that it is Brazil's vaccine and does not belong to any governor.
Doria earlier took aim at Bolsonaro's government as he observed Sao Paulo's health care workers receiving shots.
Doria said the vaccine is a lesson for authoritarians who disregard life and lack compassion. However, some scientists cautioned about the use of Sinovac's vaccine as it lacks published data about its effectiveness and safety, according to a New York Times report.
They added that it has yet to be tested in thousands of people needed to be considered before being allowed for wide use.
Brazil Vaccination Campaign's Goal
The Brazilian government's target is to end 2021 with at least 354 million doses acquired. If these numbers to be applied, it would be enough to fully immunized at least 80 percent of Brazilians.
Brazil has already created priority groups for the vaccine. However, officials have yet to release a detailed plan when certain groups will be vaccinated and how many doses of which vaccines the country plans to acquire.
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