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Protesters in Brazil support Bolsonaro in anti-vaccine stance

WION Web Team
Brasilia, BrazilUpdated: Nov 02, 2020, 01:54 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

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The vaccine has been a prime target for skepticism from Bolsonaro and others, with the president saying Brazilians will not be guinea pigs to the Chinese.

Protesters gathered in Brazil's two biggest cities on Sunday to demonstrate against any mandate for the coronavirus vaccine -- in a way supporting a rejection campaign encouraged by President Jair Bolsonaro.

In Sao Paulo, people assembled to demand the removal of state Governor Joao Doria, who has said state residents will be required to take a vaccine. 

The said vaccine is the one that's being developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac and the local Butantan Institute.

The vaccine has been a prime target for skepticism from Bolsonaro and others, with the president saying Brazilians will not be guinea pigs to the Chinese.

Demonstrators supporting Bolsonaro on the question also protested on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.

A poll said this week the percentage of Brazilians who say they would take a coronavirus vaccine dropped to 63 in October from 85 four months earlier. The percentage rejecting the idea of taking a vaccine rose to 22 from eight in July.

On Friday, Vice President Hamilton Mourao told the magazine Veja that "of course" the country will buy the Butantan-Sinovac vaccine. Bolsonaro immediately responded that he is the one with the power and he will not spend on any vaccine that is not approved by the Brazilian health regulator.

Brazil has reported more than 5.5 million confirmed cases of coronavirus infections, and about 160,000 people have died from COVID-19.

(with inputs)