São Paulo nurse is first Brazilian vaccinated against COVID-19

The São Paulo state government has administered the country’s first dose of the vaccine, soon after the country’s national sanitary regulator Anvisa approved the emergency use of CoronaVac, the vaccine against the novel coronavirus produced by Butantan Institute in collaboration with Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac.

The first person to be vaccinated was Mônica Calazans, 54, a black nurse living in East São Paulo city. Calazans, who works on the front line against COVID-19 at the Emílio Ribas Infectology Institute, was vaccinate late in the afternoon at the Butantan Institute. Until then, the only people in the country who had received the vaccine were taking part in the clinical trials.

Vaccinated

Calazans shows a high-risk profile for COVID-19. In addition to working on the front line on a daily basis, she is obese and suffers from hypertension and diabetes. She is a widow and lives with her 30-year-old son. None of the two has been infected with the disease so far.

After being vaccinated, Calazans received a symbolic seal that reads “I’ve been vaccinated by Butantan” and a bracelet with the words “I got vaccinated.”

At a press conference, the nurse said she is happy for having taken the vaccine. “Today, I was the first to be vaccinated. I’m really proud of this, of having had such a great opportunity. I speak as a Brazilian: let’s get vaccinated! Don’t be afraid. This is what we need; this is what we’d been waiting for—the vaccine—so we can resume our regular lives.”

In addition to Calazans, the state government also vaccinated Vanuzia Costas Santos, 50, an indigenous woman living in the Filhos Dessa Terra village, in Guarulhos, São Paulo. She is a practical nurse, a social worker, and chair of the Kaimbé People’s Council. She had COVID-19 in May, and experienced severe symptoms, like body ache, a cough, shortage of breath, and loss of smell and taste, which persist to this day. “I’m happy to have been part of this moment. I’m an advocate for life, for other vaccines, for prevention, and for health,” she declared.

Doses

Butantan Institute has 6 million doses of the vaccine ready for application. The São Paulo government reported during the presser that some 4.6 million doses will be sent to the federal government, keeping approximately 1.3 million doses in the hands of state authorities.

From Sinovac, São Paulo state government has received 10.8 million doses of the vaccine. Of these, 6 million doses are ready. Under the deal signed late in September with Sinovac, Butantan will receive a total of 46 million doses of CoronaVac. The vaccine is administered in two doses, with a 14-day interval between the two.