A day after the Ministry of Health announced vaccination for children aged 5 to 11, President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) said this Thursday (6) that he did not know a child who had died from Covid-19, repeated side effects of immunization and asked parents not to be carried away by what he called propaganda. "The very Anvisa that approved it also says there that the child can feel, right after the vaccine, shortness of breath and palpitations," said the president, in an interview with Rádio Nordeste, from Pernambuco.
Experts point out that vaccination for children against Covid-19 is effective and safe, and that its benefits outweigh possible risks. According to data from the Influenza Epidemiological Surveillance System (SIVEP-Gripe), from the beginning of the pandemic until December 6, 301 deaths of children between 5 and 11 years old by Covid-19 were recorded in the country. Although the number may be lower compared to other age groups, experts point out that it is essential to immunize children, because they can also transmit the disease to other people, who can develop more severe cases.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon