|
The COB said they are looking to administer the
second dose by June 21 -- two weeks before the start of the July
23-Aug. 8 Games. Paralympic participants will also get their
shots before the Games begin on Aug. 24.
Around 1,800 people are set to be vaccinated across six cities,
with COB vice-president Head of Mission Marco Antonio La Porta
saying the Brazilian population would receive two doses for
every person on the delegation who is vaccinated.
"This is a great contribution from the Olympic Movement at this
very difficult time that the world is facing," La Porta told
reporters.
"Even without the vaccine being mandatory for participation in
the Games, there is no doubt that we will feel safer to
represent Brazil in the Olympic Games."
Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said they would be using either
the Pfizer or the Sinovac shots.
Brazil has recorded the second-deadliest COVID-19 outbreak in
the world and continues to average more than 2,000 deaths per
day. More than 425,000 people have died from COVID-19 since the
pandemic began, according to the Health Ministry.
On Tuesday, the Health Ministry announced it had signed a deal
for Pfizer to deliver an additional 100 million doses of its
COVID-19 vaccine, doubling the number of shots from the company.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian
Radnedge)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |
|
