How Brazil gambled on unproven drugs to fight Covid-19 cnn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cnn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Brazil’s distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine has been tumultuous. Brazil’s primary strategy was to manufacture 100 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine. This process has been delayed countless times, forcing the Brazilian government to turn to a plan B. Brazil administered their first vaccine on Jan. 17, according to Reuters.
Brazilian President Bolsonaro is forced to reevaluate their approach to Covid-19 after the AstraZeneca vaccine is deemed ineffective (Envato Elements).
Brazil is using China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd vaccine. This vaccine is only shown to be 50% effective according to Reuters.
Brazil is not expected to receive doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine until late March. Brazil has been one of the hardest hit countries by the pandemic. The country has tallied 218,000 deaths, second only to the U.S. Brazil has also only vaccinated less than 0.5% of their population, according to Reuters. The newcomers to the Brazilian Health ministry failed to secure
Brazil: STF brings criminal action against Bolsonaro for chloroquine
Brazil: STF brings criminal action against Bolsonaro for chloroquine
Brasilia, Feb 22 (Prensa Latina) Brazil´s Supreme Federal Court (STF) brought a criminal action against President Jair Bolsonaro for ordering to use chloroquine to treat Covid-19, it was confirmed today. Judicial sources assured that STF Judge Rosa Weber was in charge of sending the edict to the Attorney General s Office after a lawsuit filed by the Partido Democrático Trabalhista (PDT) that considers the propaganda of a drug without proven efficacy as criminal.
After being filed, it is now up to the Attorney General Augusto Aras to decide whether or not to accuse the far-right president of the alleged crime, in addition to other appropriate measures such as opening an investigation.
Documents show Bolsonaro's government spent emergency funds on chloroquine and continued to produce and distribute unproven drugs throughout 2020, while rejecting at least one offer to purchase a vaccine, saying the terms were "abusive."