Governor Says São Paulo Residents Will Be Immunized for Covid-19 in January

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – São Paulo Governor João Doria stated on Thursday, December 3rd, that the CoronaVac vaccine, produced by the Chinese laboratory Sinovac in partnership with the Butantan Institute, will be administered to the São Paulo population in January 2021.

The vaccine is still in its third trial phase, where efficacy needs to be confirmed before being approved by the National Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA). The state government says that the final report should be forwarded to the agency in December and that the emergency use of the vaccine should not be required.

São Paulo should start Covid vaccination in January, before the rest of the country

“In São Paulo, we will start immunizing Brazilians in January, in a responsible way, following the law, complying with the protocol with ANVISA and following the principles of protecting life. We will not wait until March”, said Doria.

The governor criticized the federal government’s announcement that the national immunization calendar should begin in March 2021. The CoronaVac has not yet been included in the Ministry of Health’s plan.

According to Doria, vaccination in São Paulo will be conducted regardless of federal government investment. “On Monday, December 7th, we will introduce the complete state immunization program, with schedules, with priority sectors, amount of vaccines, logistics. Every process will be introduced.”

Butantan Institute director Dimas Covas also said on Thursday, December 3rd, that the CoronaVac, a vaccine produced by the Chinese laboratory Sinovac in partnership with the Institute, should be available for application in the population in January next year.

“The vaccine will be available and I believe the registration at ANVISA will also be ready. So, we can start a vaccination program in January, I believe. And I hope [that] with the support of the Ministry [of Health], despite all these statements that do not nominally mention the Butantan vaccine. We expect the vaccine to be included, considering what the Minister himself says, without mentioning the vaccine, that all available and registered vaccines will be included,” he said.

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