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[HEALTH] · Brazil · 21 sources

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Brazil COVID-19 vaccination rates for children fall to 5%

In 2026, COVID-19 caused more than 1,100 hospitalizations and 25 deaths among children and adolescents in Brazil. Despite the severity of the disease, the National Immunization Program (PNI) reports that only 5% of young children in the country have received the recommended three doses of the vaccine.

Eder Gatti, director of the PNI, attributes this low coverage to widespread disinformation and anti-vaccine discourse, noting that previous government rhetoric during the pandemic contributed to vaccine hesitancy. Gatti emphasized that the country maintains sufficient vaccine stocks and active contracts to ensure supply.

The vaccine has been part of the basic immunization schedule since 2024, with doses recommended at 6, 7, and 9 months of age, though it can be administered to children up to 5 years old. Of the 25 deaths recorded this year, 15 were children under the age of 2.

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Brazil · Eder Gatti · Jair Bolsonaro · Ministry of Health · National Immunization Program

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