Brazilian Bolsonaro says he will not take the coronavirus vaccine



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Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro speaks during a ceremony at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, November 26, 2020. REUTERS / Adriano Machado

BRAZIL (Reuters) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Thursday night that he will not get a coronavirus vaccine, the latest in a series of statements he has made expressing skepticism about coronavirus vaccination programs.

In statements broadcast live on multiple social media platforms, the right-wing leader added that Congress is unlikely to require Brazilians to take a vaccine.

Brazil has the second largest number of coronavirus deaths in the world, and Bolsonaro has been downplaying the severity of the pandemic for months despite being infected with the virus in July.

“I’m telling you, I won’t accept it. It’s my right, “he said.

Bolsonaro also expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the mask worn during transmission, implying that there was little conclusive evidence of the masks’ effectiveness in curbing transmission of the virus.

The president has repeatedly stated that Brazilians will not need to be vaccinated when a coronavirus vaccine becomes widely available. In October, he joked on Twitter that the vaccination would only be required for his dog.

Reporting by Ricardo Brito; Written by Gram Slattery; Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa

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