“Brazilians Will Not Be Guinea Pigs” – Bolsonaro on Chinese Vaccine

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday, October 21st, on social media that the “Brazilian people will not be anyone’s guinea pig” when commenting on the Chinese Coronavac vaccine.

“For my government, before any vaccine is made available to the population, it must be scientifically verified by the Ministry of Health and certified by the ANVISA,” said Bolsonaro. “The Brazilian people will not be anyone’s guinea pig.”

The President further said that a multi-billion financial investment in a drug that has not even passed its trial phase is unjustified. “Given the aforementioned, my decision is not to acquire this vaccine.”

The Coronavac is being developed by the Chinese company Sinovac in partnership with the Butantan Institute in São Paulo. According to the institute’s Director Dimas Covas, the vaccine has proved to be safe, but waiting for the efficacy trials results will be required.

In addition to Coronavac, there are other vaccines against Covid-19 being tested in Brazil. In one case, the federal government has already made an agreement with Oxford University and Fiocruz for local manufacture of the vaccine still being tested, as of April 2021. The purchase of 100 million doses of the immunizer is expected in the first half of 2021 and another 110 million in the second half of the year.

Vaccine purchase

President Bolsonaro decided to cancel the purchase of 46 million doses of the Chinese Coronavac vaccine, an agreement announced by Minister of Health Eduardo Pazuello last Tuesday, October 20th.

Bolsonaro did not agree with the Ministry of Health’s decision and consequently ordered the purchase to be dropped. Earlier, the President replied to a supporter on social media, who said he was 17 years old and urged the purchase of the vaccine not to occur, since “China is a dictatorship”. Bolsonaro was adamant in his reply: “It will not be bought.”

Source: R7