CoronaVac Will Be Vaccine of Brazil, Says São Paulo Governor, Challenging Bolsonaro

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – São Paulo State Governor João Doria yesterday afternoon posted a note of gratitude to the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) for the authorization to import the CoronaVac. “CoronaVac will be the vaccine of Brazil,” wrote the governor.

The discussion about the Chinese immunizer heated up the clash between the São Paulo government and the Planalto Palace this week and led to an embarrassement between President Jair Bolsonaro and one of his Ministers.

On Wednesday, Bolsonaro de-authorized Minister of Health Eduardo Pazuello to purchase the Chinese vaccine, a decision Pazuello had announced a day earlier.

On Friday afternoon, October 23rd, the importation of six million doses of the immunizer produced by the Chinese Sinovac laboratory, at the request of the Butantan Institute on an exceptional basis, was authorized by ANVISA.

Butantan should receive the Chinese technology for large-scale production of the vaccine in the country.

On Twitter, the São Paulo governor wrote on Saturday: “I appreciate the consistent and autonomous position of ANVISA, by releasing the initial purchase of six million CoronaVac doses. We reinforce the significance of freeing raw materials for the production of the other 40 million doses. The CoronaVac will be produced in São Paulo, at the Butantan. It will be the vaccine of Brazil.”

Source: UOL