Gov. João Doria criticises Brazil's federal govt over coronavirus response

Brazil started its COVID-19 vaccination program Sunday, applying the Chinese-made Coronavac to a nurse during a ceremony at a hospital in Sao Paulo. Monica Calazans, 54, received the first dose in a ceremony presided over by Sao Paulo state governor Joao Doria and state health officials.

Two vaccines, produced by AstraZeneca and Sinovac, were approved for emergency use earlier in the day by Brazilian health regulator Anvisa.Brazil currently has six million doses of Sinovac’s CoronaVac vaccine ready to distribute in the next few days. Doria lauded the occasion, calling it 'V Day'.

"I want to dedicate this day to the relatives of the 209,000 people killed by COVID-19," he continued.Doria, who was once allied with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, but is now a rival, went on to criticize the federal response to the pandemic, saying the Bolsonaro government had mishandled it from the beginning.

"The vaccine is a lesson to you, authoritarian (referring to Bolsonaro), who despises life, who has no compassion, who despises dedication and care and the need to protect the Brazilian people. You haven't done that," Doria said. Vaccination in Brazil is beginning later than neighbors such as Argentina and Chile despite a robust public health system and decades of experience with immunization campaigns. The vaccination priority will be health professionals on the front line against coronavirus.

(Image Credit: AP)