Brazil vaccine rollout finally begins - B1


Brazilians get vaccine - 27th January 2021

These planes are delivering the coronavirus vaccine to Amazonas in Brazil.

Amazonas is the biggest Brazilian state. Many indigenous people live there. These traditional communities have lived in Brazil for thousands of years.

In Amazonas, it can be difficult for indigenous people to access healthcare. There are a lot of Covid-19 deaths in the state. Now, the government is giving people in Amazonas the vaccine.

Vanda Ortega has received the first vaccination in the area. She is an indigenous nurse from the Witoto community.

In Brazil, more than 217,000 people have died from Covid-19. State governments have started giving people the vaccine. They couldn’t wait for the order from the president.

President Bolsonaro has said the vaccine might be unsafe. He has also tried to stop local lockdowns. He thinks lockdowns will hurt Brazil's economy.

The political disagreements around coronavirus continue. But Ortega is happy that indigenous people are getting help.

Ortega: "There are more than a million indigenous people living in Brazilian territory who require help too during this pandemic. Thank you all so much, may Tupã look after all of us, may God take care of all of us."