Football club first in Brazil to receive Covid-19 vaccines from Conmebol

Atlético Goianiense, from the Center-West city of Goiânia, became the first football club in Brazil to receive Covid-19 vaccination from South American football confederation Conmebol, which plans to distribute a controversial 50,000-dose donation of immunizers from Chinese lab Sinovac. 

Atlético Goianiense traveled to Paraguay to play a continental match midweek against Libertad, based close to Conmebol’s headquarters. All 44 members of the club’s delegation were vaccinated, including players and staff.

Meanwhile, just 143,000 Paraguayans have received at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine, and just 0.2 percent of the population is fully vaccinated — among the lowest rates in South America.

Atlético Goianiense’s delegation were only able to be immunized abroad, as any vaccines arriving in Brazil are automatically forwarded to the country’s public health system. Conmebol hopes to distribute the remaining jabs to national football federations in its ten member countries, but some clubs in Argentina have refused donations due to waves of criticism.

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