Covid-19 vaccine can turn people into 'crocodiles': Brazilian President
Covid-19 vaccine can turn people into crocodiles: Brazilian President
(Web Desk) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has launched an attack on coronavirus vaccines, even suggesting that the one developed by Pfizer-BioNTech could turn people into crocodiles or bearded ladies.
The far-right leader has been sceptical of the coronavirus since it first emerged late last year, branding it "a little flu." This week he insisted he would not be vaccinated, even while launching the country s mass innoculation program.
"In the Pfizer contract it s very clear: we re not responsible for any side effects. If you turn into a crocodile, it s your problem," Bolsonaro said.
That vaccine has been undergoing tests in Brazil for weeks and is already being used in the United States and Britain.
"If you become superhuman, if a woman starts to grow a beard or if a man starts to speak with an effeminate voice, they will not have anything to do with it," he said, referring to the drug manufacturers.
When launching the immunization campaign on Wednesday, Bolsonaro also said it would be free but not compulsory.
Brazil has recorded more than 7.1 million cases and almost 185,000 deaths from Covid-19 amongst its 212 million population.
Bolsonaro said that once a vaccine has been certified by Brazil s regulatory agency Anvisa, "it will be available for everyone that wants it. But me, I won t get vaccinated."
"Some people say I m giving a bad example. But to the imbeciles, to the idiots that say this, I tell them I ve already caught the virus, I have the antibodies, so why get vaccinated".
