Brazil is Running Low on Chinese Vaccine Supplies Prompting Concerns Beijing May Be Playing Politics

A health professional is inoculated with the Sinovac Biotech's CoronaVac vaccine against COVID-19 in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, on January 19, 2021. MARCIO JAMES / AFP

Brazil is running out of its supply of the Chinese-made CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccines and apparently, Beijing hasn’t approved the shipment of ingredients needed to make more. Only 6 million doses out of a 46 million dose order have arrived and those stocks are expected to run out within the next few weeks.

Rodrigo Maia, president of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies, expressed concern earlier this week that the delay may be due to President Jair Bolsonaro’s criticisms of China and steadily deteriorating ties between the two countries. Yesterday, however, Maia met with Chinese ambassador Yang Wanming who reassured him that politics is not responsible for the restocking delay. 

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by Eric Olander

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