Michelle Bolsonaro accused of undermining the credibility of the vaccination campaign in Brazil by choosing to receive an injection outside the country
Michelle Bolsonaro, the wife of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, was injected with an anti-Covid vaccine this week in New York. “Receiving the vaccine is a personal decision. My wife, for example, decided to get the vaccine in the United States. Me, no, ”said the far-right head of state in an interview published Friday by the magazine Veja.
Jair Bolsonaro, who assured him that he would be the “last” Brazilian to be vaccinated, was in New York on Monday and Tuesday, and made the opening speech of the United Nations General Assembly, as requested by tradition. Some politicians and infectious disease specialists, interviewed by the online media G1, criticized the decision of the first lady, believing that she “despised” the vaccination campaign carried out by the Brazilian public system.
“Junk patriotism”
“First, you have to congratulate her on having been vaccinated. The vaccine saves, she did well, 10 out of 10, ”said Senator Omar Aziz. On the other hand, “0 out of 10 because the vaccine injected in the United States is the same as in Brazil. So she could have been vaccinated here; showing Brazilians that she is immunized could set a good example. There, yes, we would have seen real patriotism, not junk patriotism ”.
Epidemiologist Pedro Hallal told G1 that this injection carried out abroad “shows contempt for the SUS (public health system) and all Brazilians. It shows a lack of confidence ”. Following the outcry, the government explained that Michelle Bolsonaro had taken a PCR test to return to Brazil.
It was at this point that a doctor asked her if she wanted to “take the opportunity to be vaccinated”, and “since she was already planning to receive an immunizer, she decided to accept”. “The first lady reiterates her admiration and respect for the Brazilian health system, in particular the professionals in the sector who tirelessly dedicate themselves to taking care of the health of the population,” a statement said.
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