Brazil vaccinates children under 5 against COVID

Children as young as three years old started receiving COVID-19 vaccines after health authorities approved their availability to children around Brazil.

The vaccination of children that started on Monday is the final step that authorities hope will complete the immunizations and end the outbreak in the country that started over two years ago. The National Sanitary Regulator, approved the use of the CoronaVac vaccine for children on July 13. Infectiologist Alberto Chebabo said children below five years of age had presented a high rate of hospitalizations and complications. "So vaccinating the population of 3 and 4 year old, that still were not vaccinated, we reduce hospitalization of these kids due to COVID," he said. CoronaVac was the first vaccine used in Brazil against COVID-19 and is produced by Brazilian Butantan Institute in partnership with Chinese pharmaceutical Sinovac.