RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Butantan Institute is negotiating the potential export of the CoronaVac, a vaccine against Covid-19 produced in partnership with the Chinese Sinovac laboratory, to Latin American countries. Dimas Covas, the institute’s director, visited Argentina last week.
“Yes, there are plans. Not only plans, but also ongoing negotiations. Butantan, jointly with Sinovac, offered the Ministry of Health 100 million doses until May. In parallel, an additional 40 million were announced for all of Latin America,” stated Covas in a press conference at the institute on Tuesday.
According to him, there is an initial protocol of intent to supply ten million doses to the neighboring country, should the vaccine not be incorporated by the Brazilian government into the PNI (National Immunization Plan). No agreement has been signed as yet.
“We have similar requests from Peru, Uruguay, Honduras, Paraguay and the Pan American Health Organization, which has opened competition and has requested proposals at a set price. We are preparing documentation to provide this offer. This prospect is very close to happening,” said the director.
The Butantan, linked to the São Paulo government, began producing the Coronavac on Tuesday. The plant should gradually produce up to one million doses per day, although the immunizer has not yet been approved by ANVISA (National Health Regulatory Agency) to be used in Brazil.
According to São Paulo State Governor João Doria, 11 other Brazilian states and 912 municipalities have officially expressed their interest in receiving part of the four million doses of the vaccine provided in the state immunization plan for national distribution.