SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday he was right to criticize the credibility of a Chinese COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac Biotech that showed disappointing results in local trials.
On Tuesday, researchers in Sao Paulo announced that the Chinese vaccine is 50.4% effective in preventing symptomatic infections in a local trial – barely enough for regulatory approval and far below the rate announced last week.
Bolsonaro, a former judge-army captain, is a long-time Chinese falcon. He repeatedly criticized the Sinovac shot, which was tested at the late stage by Sao Paulo’s Butantan Institute, as unreliable. He said earlier that his government would not buy the Chinese vaccine, but later conceded because criticism of the Brazil explosion increased.
Bolsonaro has so far spoken to supporters outside his home and revealed Sinovac’s trial results so far, saying he was unfairly vilified for questioning the shot.
“This 50% is good, is it? All the (criticism) I got for my comments, and now they see the truth. Four months after they lambed because of the vaccine,” he said.
Bolsonaro nevertheless said he played no role in relieving the Sinovac shot as it was up to federal health regulator Anvisa to decide whether it would be approved for use.
Last week, the Brazilian government signed an agreement with the Butantan Institute to buy up to 100 million doses of Chinese vaccine. The government will later receive 46 million doses, with another dose of 54 million.
(Reporting by Eduardo Simoes; Edited by Mark Heinrich)