Covid-19: City of São Paulo will prioritize Pfizer vaccine for booster dose

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The vaccine from Pfizer should be a priority in the application of the third dose of the covid-19 vaccine in the city of São Paulo as of September 15, when the Ministry of Health sends the doses, said the municipal secretary of Health, Edson Aparecido, during an interview to CNN Brasil on Sunday, 5.

“We will use, starting tomorrow, the doses that are available in our units, basically Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Coronavac. As of the 15th, when the Ministry makes the Pfizer doses available, we should prioritize Pfizer as the third dose,” said Aparecido.

As of Monday, 6, the São Paulo capital starts vaccinating the elderly above age 90 with the third dose. In addition, the vaccination of teenagers from 12 to 14 years old, without comorbidities, will be started.

Although the Ministry of Health has recommended using the vaccines from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Janssen as reinforcement in protecting against covid-19, the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo have included Coronavac as an option for the extra dose.

Experts worldwide have never disagreed more about whether it makes sense to inject a booster dose at all.

While those specialists who fundamentally question a booster dose are portrayed as representatives of a misinformation campaign, the doctors in favor of a third dose argue about whether Coronavac will have the desired effect, especially among the elderly.