Brazil to vaccinate kids, stops short of demanding scripts

BRASILIA – Vaccination of Brazilian children betwixt the ages of 5 and 11 volition statesman successful January, without the request for prescriptions from doctors the authorities had antecedently signaled, officials from the wellness ministry announced Wednesday.

The government’s guidelines travel astir 3 weeks aft the wellness regulator authorized usage of Pfizer’s changeable for children, mounting disconnected backlash from nary different than President Jair Bolsonaro. After sowing uncertainty astir the efficacy of the vaccine and refusing to beryllium vaccinated himself past year, successful caller weeks the president staked retired a presumption opposing vaccines for kids and informing of imaginable broadside effects.

A survey released successful precocious December by U.S. wellness authorities confirmed that superior broadside effects of the Pfizer vaccine successful children ages 5 to 11 are rare. The results were based connected astir 8 cardinal doses dispensed to youngsters successful this property group.

Taking a cue from Bolsonaro, his wellness ministry past period published an online questionnaire astir the issue, and immoderate of the president’s supporters besides leery of the vaccine actively engaged connected messaging apps trying to unit radical to plaything the results.

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They failed: the bulk of the survey's astir 100,000 participants opposed the request for a doctor's script, a wellness ministry authoritative said successful a nationalist proceeding connected Tuesday, without providing figures. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Minister Queiroga besides didn’t disclose what percent of respondents opposed prescriptions.

“With respect to the prescription, a nationalist consultation was done. We heard society, specialists,” said Queiroga. “It isn’t backtracking; it is portion of the decision-making process. A proposal has been made.”

Other countries, specified arsenic the U.S., Germany, France, Argentina and Chile are already vaccinating their children.

It had been unclear whether Brazil's wellness ministry could enforce a request that children get a medicine for vaccinations; astir Brazilian states' wellness secretariats openly said they would defy specified an order. Although the ministry stopped abbreviated of issuing specified a directive, its authoritative successful complaint of warring COVID-19 inactive said parents should question retired aesculapian opinions.

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“It is indispensable that parents consult a doctor. Why? Children successful this property radical are processing and we person immoderate adverse effects. At this age, attraction should beryllium greater,” said the official, Rosana Leite.

The announcement came 1 time aft a tiny protestation successful absorption of vaccinating children extracurricular the Pan American Health Organization’s bureau successful superior Brasilia, wherever children held signs speechmaking “I’m not a guinea pig.” Inside, members of aesculapian societies and experts participated successful a nationalist proceeding promoted by the authorities to statement the issue, astir of whom reinforced the information of the vaccine. Pfizer’s manager successful Brazil, Marjorie Dulcine, stated respective times: “The vaccine isn’t experimental.”

Bolsonaro, for his part, has characterized vaccination arsenic an contented of idiosyncratic prime alternatively than a means for ensuring the communal good. He has repeatedly claimed, incorrectly, that he’s immune to the microorganism due to the fact that helium already contracted it successful 2020. At slightest 16 of his 22 ministers person been vaccinated, on with his governmental children and his wife. Bolsonaro has said helium won’t fto his 11-year-old girl beryllium vaccinated.

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Last month, helium said helium would sanction and exposure the nationalist servants who issued the support of the Pfizer changeable for children, prompting a national representing wellness bureau workers to explicit interest astir online maltreatment oregon adjacent carnal attacks.

In Rio de Janeiro connected Wednesday, a radical of radical demonstrated successful favour of vaccinating children.

Two young boys held a motion reading: “Vaccine is simply a right! Vaccine is safe! Vaccine yes!”

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