Previously, He Didn't Want To Be Vaccinated, Now The President Of Brazil Wants All Of His Citizens To Get A Vaccine For COVID-19

Vaccine illustration. (Sam Moqadam / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro promised to immediately give all of his citizens the vaccine for COVID-19. This is due to various criticisms regarding the slow handling of COVID-19 in Brazil.

Critics say the late and uneven vaccine launch was followed by a second wave of COVID-19, leaving Brazil with the second highest death toll from COVID-19 in the world, after the United States.

“Europe and some countries in South America don't have vaccines. And we know that the demand is high. We have signed deals, contracts, since last September, with various companies and vaccines have begun to arrive, ”he said.

"They will arrive and will vaccinate the entire population in no time," Bolsonaro added in a statement Thursday, January 28 local time.

Bolsonaro's comments reflect a change in tone in recent weeks, as many resent the president's failure to immediately vaccinate Brazil's 210 million people. His personal promise not to be vaccinated has sparked growing anti-vaccine sentiment.

Its popularity has slumped further after the end of COVID-19 economic assistance, followed by an increase in new daily cases of infection.

The end of the COVID-19 welfare scheme, and the sharp increase in new infections, has also further undermined its popularity.

The majority of vaccines used by Brazil come from Sinovac Biotech. However, they also have had 2 million injections of AstraZeneca vaccine and are still waiting for the active ingredient to make AstraZeneca vaccine in the country.