Won’t vaccinate my 11-year-old daughter: Bolsonaro

Brazil

On Monday, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced that he wouldn’t vaccinate his 11-year-old daughter against COVID-19.

The president maintained his firm anti-vaccine stance, drawing criticism from health experts and hitting his poll numbers.

On Dec 23, the Brazilian health minister had provoked controversy by saying that the number of coronavirus deaths among children did not signify an emergency. He said COVID-19 vaccines for children would need a doctor’s prescription, which health secretaries immediately contradicted.

According to Bolsonaro, Marcelo Queiroga will soon reveal Brazil’s plan regarding carrying out its coronavirus vaccination campaign for children up to 11 years, which was approved earlier this month.

The vaccination of minors has been a widely debated topic in Brazil. Bolsonaro’s core supporters have opposed the measure, but most of the population supports jabbing minors.

Speaking to reporters in Santa Catarina, Bolsonaro said children had not been dying in a way that justified a vaccination drive for them.

However, the government’s coronavirus advisory body revealed that 301 children aged between 5 to 11 had died of COVID-19 in Brazil.

“I’ve spoken to Queiroga about this. On the 5th, he should be publishing a note about how vaccination of minors should be carried out,” Bolsonaro said. “I hope that there is no judicial interference this time. Let me make it very clear that my daughter isn’t getting vaccinated.”

Bolsonaro’s statement comes as a bump to the nation’s mass vaccination drive as the country has struggled to oust the pandemic of its population.

It is pertinent to state that the president has refused to vaccinate himself. The far-right Bolsonaro has repeatedly questioned the efficacy and safety of coronavirus vaccines.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Brazil reported 171 coronavirus deaths and 8,430 additional cases, as per the data released by the Brazilian Health Ministry.