President Jair Bolsonaro (without a party) will not participate in campaigns to encourage vaccination against the novel coronavirus. According to Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello, Bolsonaro wants to reinforce that immunization is not mandatory.
In a session in the Senate on Thursday (17) to discuss the national immunization plan against Covid-19, Pazuello was questioned in two moments regarding the position of Bolsonaro, who has already admitted that he will not get the coronavirus vaccine.
Then, the Minister of Health was again asked if the president would get the vaccine to set an example for the population. Last week, newspapers reported that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip would be vaccinated in the UK.
Pazuello initially said that questions about the president should be directed at himself. Then, however, he said that his position would reinforce that the vaccine is not mandatory.
This week, the president said on a television program that he would not get the vaccine, period.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon