Brazil to vaccinate children aged 5-11 against COVID-19 - minister

Brazil's Health Ministry said on Wednesday that it will go ahead with the voluntary vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years old against COVID-19 and dropped plans to require a doctor's prescription.

While vaccination will not be mandatory, state governments have the final word on public health decisions and could require that children be vaccinated to be able to attend school.

"Children have unfortunately died of COVID-19, not many, but every child's life is important," Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said in a news conference.

Brazil has ordered 20 million doses of a vaccine for children developed by Pfizer Inc and vaccination will begin later this month, starting with the oldest and children with prior medical conditions, he said.

Health experts told a public hearing on Tuesday that requiring a written doctor's prescription would discourage vaccinations. Some said it was a hurdle devised by the government of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, a vaccine skeptic.

Bolsonaro has opposed the vaccination of children, even though Brazil's health regulator Anvisa last month authorized the use of Pfizer's pediatric vaccine.

So far, 20 of Brazil's 26 states and the federal district have decided that they will not ask for a doctor's prescription and the National Council of State Health Secretaries (CONASS) advised that this requirement not be made.

The governors want to start vaccinating children before schools resume classes in late January. The first 3.5 million Pfizer doses for children will arrive before the end of January, the minister said.