Jair Bolsonaro
Photographer: Andre Borges / Bloomberg
Photographer: Andre Borges / Bloomberg
Brazil accelerated plans to vaccinate its population against the coronavirus after an early start by the state of Sao Paulo increased pressure on President Jair Bolsonaro to act faster to halt an emerging loss of popularity.
The government began dispensing 6 million doses of a Chinese-produced shot on Monday Sinovac Biotech Ltd in partnership with Sao Paulo’s Butantan Institute to all of its 27 states, is giving the green light for immunizations to start right away, according to an official statement. Less than 24 hours earlier, Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello had said the nationwide campaign would start on Wednesday.
Pressure on the Brazilian President and his Health Minister increased dramatically when Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria organized a ceremony on Sunday to administer the first dose of the so-called CoronaVac injection – just minutes after the health regulator of the country had approved emergency use. The photo of a black nurse being vaccinated was broadcast through Brazilian media and became a political victory for Doria, one of Bolsonaro’s main political opponents.
A health professional will serve a dose of the Sinovac Biotech Ltd. coronavirus vaccine in the hospital of the University of Sao Paulo
“Bolsonaro is losing some support from his supporters,” said Marcio Coimbra, a political scientist who heads Interlegis’ think tank in Brasilia. “Emergency relief was the main driver of its popularity, while the pandemic and vaccines were a hindrance.”
Bolsonaro’s popularity fell 6 percentage points to 32% in January, a month after his program of cash distributions to casual workers ended, according to an XP / Ipespe poll that surveyed 1,000 people between January 11 and 14. Half of those interviewed wanted the government to come up with a similar emergency program for a few more months. It’s the first time since May that its popularity has taken off, the pollster said.
Read more: Oxygen deficiency leads to curfew in the capital of the Brazilian Amazon
The president, who has repeatedly questioned the security of the gunfire against a pandemic that killed more than 200,000 Brazilians, is under mounting political pressure as national vaccination plans lag behind those of key regional partners and Covid-19 cases spiral back through the country. country walk. To complicate matters further, shipments from the AstraZeneca Plc booster – the federal government’s main gamble to sustain a mass campaign – has been delayed amid difficult negotiations with India, where some of the footage is being shot.
Because the main map was not readily available, the Health Ministry decided to go ahead with the CoronaVac – a vaccine sponsored by Doria and repeatedly criticized by Bolsonaro “for its origins.” The collapse of the health system in the Amazonas state capital, where hospitals ran out of oxygen to treat patients, contributed to a renewed sense of urgency. According to the G1 website, in response to the crisis, trucks loaded with oxygen donated by Nicolas Maduro’s government in Venezuela have crossed the Brazilian border.
Several state governors, demanding a more forceful response from the Health Ministry, celebrated the start of the vaccination campaign on social media by posting photos and videos of vaccine shipments boarding Brazilian Air Force planes. In Rio de Janeiro, Mayor Eduardo Paes organized a ceremony at the feet of the statue of Christ the Redeemer to mark the date.
Still, not all states got the shots immediately, with Pazuello attributing some delays to logistical challenges.
With the CoronaVac being distributed nationwide, Doria is taking a political victory that bolsters his position as a possible contender in the 2022 presidential election, Coimbra said, warning that other names are likely to emerge along the way.
– With the help of Isadora Sanches and Marisa Wanzeller
(Updates with details about Manaus in the seventh paragraph, delays in the penultimate paragraph. An earlier version of this story was corrected to say that Bolsonaro’s popularity dropped 6 percentage points, not basis points.)