Vaccination by private companies could cause Brazil more headaches

Over the month of March, Brazil managed to increase its daily average of vaccines administered by 123 percent. This rise was largely down to a federal government order for states and municipalities to use vaccine stocks previously set aside for second doses, as well as multiple states opening up immunization to law enforcement agents. Still, coronavirus vaccine rollouts remain four times slower than in the U.S. and have not been enough to tame the spread of the disease.

More hiccups are expected as vaccine-producing powerhouses China and India move to curtail exports of immunizers — as well as their inputs — in order to beef up their own vaccination programs. China has seen its biggest daily jump in new Covid-19 cases in more than two months, while India experiences its own brutal wave of infections, hitting their highest levels since mid-October.

As if that was not enough, Brazil’s public health system may find itself competing for vaccines with private companies. 

In Congress, support is mounting for legislative proposals which would allow companies to purchase vaccines themselves, distributing them to their employees and family members. In favor of the idea, House Speaker Arthur Lira stresses this would not create a conflict between public and private interests, “given that the government has already purchased more...