RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil’s Minister of Health Marcelo Queiroga on Wednesday (28) celebrated the mark of 100 million people inoculated with the first dose of an anti-Covid vaccine, equivalent to 47.6% of the country’s 210 million inhabitants.
“Today we can be proud of the success of our vaccination campaign: 100 million Brazilians received at least the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine,” the head of the Ministry announced on a national radio and television network.
Queiroga, the 4th Brazilian Health Minister since the start of the pandemic and leading the portfolio since last March, also urged Brazilians to complete their vaccination schedule, as some 4 million people have not yet visited vaccination centers to receive the second shot.
“I am especially addressing Brazilians who are due for their second dose. I urge them to seek vaccination centers to take the second dose, as immunization will only be complete after the full vaccination schedule,” he said.
Along with the United States and India, Brazil is one of the hardest-hit countries by the coronavirus pandemic in the world and has so far accumulated more than 551,000 deaths and 19.7 million infections.
Despite the slow start of vaccination, which began in mid-January, the process has accelerated in recent months. The Minister said that “the entire adult population in Brazil will be vaccinated with the first dose by September and will have their full schedule by December.”
“Thus, we hope to have an adequate control of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
For several weeks now the pandemic has shown clear signs of slowing down in the country. In one month, the number of deaths and infections caused by the virus fell by 40%, although the daily average number of deaths remains above 1,000, according to official figures.
Likewise, with 63% of the population over 18 years now inoculated with the first vaccine dose – and 18.3 % with the complete regimen – the Ministry of Health plans to start vaccinating adolescents aged 12-17 in the coming months.