Brazil: Majority is against compulsory medical prescription to vaccinate children

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Most people participating in the public consultation on the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years against Covid-19 is against the requirement of a doctor’s prescription for immunization.

“We had 99,309 people participating in this short period of time in which the document was up for public consultation. The majority agreed with the non-compulsory nature of vaccination and the prioritization of children with comorbidities. The majority was against the obligation of a medical prescription at the time of vaccination,” the Secretary said.

In December, Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said that the government would vaccinate children only with a doctor’s prescription. After the statement, the National Council of Health Secretaries (CONASS) released a “Christmas letter to the children of Brazil,” in which it confirmed that no state would require the document.

The CONASS decision was criticized by Queiroga. At the time, the Minister said that the states should express themselves in the public consultation. “Governors talk about prescriptions, mayors talk about prescriptions. Not having a prescription,” he said. “As far as I know, the vast majority of them are not doctors.”

The public consultation for the manifestation of civil society on the immunization of children was criticized by experts and ended on Sunday, January 2.

On Friday, December 31, the Ministry of Health said in a statement that its recommendation is “for the inclusion of the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 in the National Plan for the Operationalization of Vaccines Against covid-19.”

“On January 5, after hearing society, the Ministry will formalize its decision and, maintaining the recommendation, the immunization of this age group should begin in January,” the Ministry said.

The Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA), which authorized the administration of Pfizer’s vaccine in children on December 16, did not attend the public hearing. The agency was invited, but decided not to participate.