Brazil’s wellness regulator accredited the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Friday for use in small children aged 12 and up, while they will most likely have to wait months in line for older age teams to be vaccinated 1st.

Hit tough by the pandemic, Brazil joins countries which includes the United States, Uruguay and Chile in extending vaccination to minors.

On the other hand, provide challenges imply the shift is mostly symbolic for now.

Brazil’s COVID-19 vaccination travel, which commenced in January, has been strike by shortages and delays.

All-around 11 % of the country’s 212 million persons have been totally vaccinated so far.

Metropolitan areas this kind of as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have only just lately completed vaccinating priority teams this sort of as well being employees and the aged.

They are now vaccinating the normal populace in descending purchase by age, and are at the moment immunizing persons in their 50s.

The well being regulator, Anvisa, reported the approval was dependent on studies by Pfizer that “indicated the vaccine’s security and performance for this age team.”

In addition to the US pharmaceutical giant’s vaccine, created with German agency BioNTech, Brazil is presently utilizing the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and Chinese-created CoronaVac.

Regulators have also accredited the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but the federal government has not still achieved a deal to buy it.

Brazil has struggled to source adequate vaccine doses.

Much-ideal President Jair Bolsonaro faces criticism for refusing features of vaccines previous 12 months, including from Pfizer, and rather pushing the ineffective treatment chloroquine in opposition to COVID-19.

The pandemic has claimed far more than 480,000 life in Brazil, next only to the United States.

© 2021 AFP