Brazil's Bolsonaro says he will not be vaccinated against Covid-19

Sao Paulo (CNN)Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said helium decided not to get a Covid-19 vaccine, successful an on-air interrogation with Jovem Pan vigor connected Tuesday night.

Previously, Bolsonaro -- who has been eligible to get vaccinated since April -- has said helium would instrumentality the vaccine aft the past Brazilian was immunized.

"I decided not to instrumentality the vaccine anymore. I'm seeing caller studies, my immunity levels are done the roof. I americium going to get the vaccine for what? It would beryllium the aforesaid happening arsenic playing $10 successful the lottery to triumph $2. That's retired of place," helium said Tuesday.

Bolsonaro argued that Brazilians person the close to not get vaccinated, saying: "For me, (it is) state supra all. If a national does not privation to get the vaccine, it is his close and that's it."

Bolsonaro's remarks travel arsenic the Brazilian colonisation is showing large enactment for the vaccine. According to Johns Hopkins University, Brazil has afloat vaccinated astir 47% of its colonisation and according to Our World In Data, 72% of the colonisation got astatine slightest 1 dose.

On Wednesday, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) manager Carissa Etienne said: "In Brazil we person seen the interaction of weekend-long vaccine drives, and vaccine champions to promote everyone eligible to get vaccinated. These and different tailored strategies volition beryllium cardinal to reaching those that we person not yet reached."

Bolsonaro has been fiercely criticized astatine location for his handling of Covid-19 and long-standing reluctance to enforce nationalist wellness precautions.

In September, the Brazilian president publically flouted a UN request that required overseas delegations to beryllium vaccinated earlier entering its office successful New York. Multiple members of his delegation aboriginal tested affirmative for the virus.

Since the pandemic began, Brazil has been hard-hit with implicit 600,000 deaths -- 2nd lone to the United States.