Coronavirus

Health Ministry to receive advance of 7 million Pfizer vaccines

Health Ministry gets "early" delivery of 7 million Pfizer doses
A medical staff receives the delivery of Pfizer vaccines in Belgium. Photo: Alexandros Michailidis/Shutterstock

Brazil’s Health Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that it will get its hands on 7 million Pfizer vaccines ahead of time. As a result, overall estimates for vaccine deliveries from the American lab in July were increased from 8 to 15 million.

The batch of 7 million doses was only scheduled to arrive in Brazil in the year’s third quarter. However, suggesting the delivery is an “advance” is a stretch, considering that the Brazilian government continuously stalled purchase contracts with Pfizer for months. The pharmaceutical giant offered a deal in August 2020, but a tender was only signed in March of this year.