Covid Vaccination in São Paulo City Should Only Start on March 23rd

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – Elderly people over 75 years of age will be immunized against Covid-19 only as of March 23rd in the state capital, according to São Paulo Municipal Health Secretary Edson Aparecido. However, the date is “an estimate”, because it depends on the reception of the vaccine doses.

Vaccination of healthcare professionals in the municipal network began on Tuesday, January 19th, at the Dr. José Soares Hungria Municipal Hospital, in Pirituba, north zone. This stage of the priority phase, which also includes the elderly in nursing homes and indigenous communities, should continue throughout February and March.

“From then on we will start vaccination of the elderly in our healthcare units and in the posts scattered across the city. But we still depend on the arrival of vaccines,” says the Secretary.

On Tuesday, the São Paulo City Hall received 203,000 doses of the Coronavac, which will be distributed to public and private healthcare institutions that treat patients with Covid-19. For now, only front-line professionals will be immunized against the disease, representing approximately 40% of the total number of healthcare workers in the municipality.

The city hall is waiting for another 203,000 doses in up to 15 days, which will permit administering the vaccine booster.

Once vaccination is available to the general population, campaigns will be organized to advise people when and where to go, according to Edson Aparecido. “At this time, there is no point in people going to a healthcare unit [to be vaccinated against Covid-19], because this time has not come yet.”