Covid-19: Brazil seeks surplus Astra/Zeneca vaccines from U.S. and U.K.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Fast vaccination pace in these countries and controversies over AstraZeneca/Oxford immunizers open the possibility for surplus doses to be sent to the government.

After creating diplomatic conflicts with China – such as Economy Minister Paulo Guedes saying that the novel coronavirus had been created by the Chinese – the Brazilian government is now seeking international deals to acquire surplus vaccine doses in countries with a fast-paced immunization program.

On the Brazilian radar there are two potential ‘targets’: the U.S. and the U.K. These countries were selected because both are in advanced immunization stages and have a vaccine approved by the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA), the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

Another factor helping negotiations is the diplomatic advance promoted by China through the sale of vaccines. Washington and London seek to curb the Chinese advance and expand their number of partner countries. The vaccine could be a good bargaining chip.

Canada and Australia were consulted by the Brazilian Foreign Ministry in recent weeks, but both said that, in the short term, exporting immunizers is not feasible.

U.S. President Joe Biden pointed out that he will send “about 10% of what we have [of surplus] to other nations by July 4th.”

The U.S. alone has about 60 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine that have not been used because they have not yet been cleared by health authorities. “As these doses become available, the U.S. will decide where they will be sent,” said the U.S. embassy in Brasilia.

The Jair Bolsonaro government believes that Brazil will receive a shipment of vaccines once they become internationally marketed.

Source: iG