Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday said he will not take a vaccine against the coronavirus even after it receives approval from his own government.
“I’m telling you, I won’t take it (the vaccine),” he said in a video posted to social media. “It is my right.”
Brazil has recorded over 1,70,000 coronavirus deaths, according to an AFP tally, behind only the U.S.
Mr. Bolsonaro faces criticism for his handling of the pandemic, which has included playing down the virus, opposing lockdown measures and relentlessly promoting the drug hydroxychloroquine despite studies showing it is ineffective against COVID-19.
He caught COVID-19 himself at the beginning of July, and more than half of his Cabinet have tested positive for the virus in recent months.
Once any treatment is approved by Brazil’s health regulatory authorities, his government will “immediately organise” its purchase and distribution to those who want it, he said.
But he added he was “sure” that Brazil’s Parliament would not make immunisation mandatory.
Brazil’s Health Ministry has already agreed to buy 100 million doses of a different vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University.
