President Bolsonaro Dismisses Vaccination Requirement For Entering Brazil

Vaccine skepticism from President Jair Bolsonaro, who says he has not gotten a COVID-19 shot, has done little to dampen Brazilians' eagerness to get immunized, with more than 85% of adults now fully vaccinated..

President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday criticized Brazil's health regulator Anvisa for proposing a vaccination requirement for travelers arriving in the country to help prevent the spread of new coronavirus variants.

"Anvisa wants to close the country's airspace now. Not again, damn it," Bolsonaro said at a business event in Brasilia.

Anvisa last month proposed adopting a 'vaccination passport' for entry into Brazil, but the government has not yet decided on the matter, which Bolsonaro has repeatedly attacked.

Vaccine skepticism from Bolsonaro, who says he has not gotten a COVID-19 shot, has done little to dampen Brazilians' eagerness to get immunized, with more than 85% of adults now fully vaccinated. However his discretion over federal policy may settle the debate on requiring vaccines for travelers.