The Brazilian health regulator suspended the use of more than 12 million doses of Chinese-made vaccines on Sept. 4 to produce them at an unauthorized plant, according to an official statement.
Authorities said the ban was “a precautionary measure” to prevent “possible imminent risks.”
“The manufacturing unit … was not inspected and was not approved by Anvisa in the emergency use authorization of the said vaccine,” the country’s federal health regulator said on Saturday.
A day earlier, the Butantan Institute in Sao Paulo, a local biomedical center founded by the state government, sent an alert to Anvisa. The institution was to fill and complete 25 batches of 12.1 million doses upon arrival in Brazil, under a partnership with China’s Sinovac.
Another 17 batches, totaling 9 million doses produced at the same plant, were headed to Brazil, Butantan told the regulator.
Now the regulator has issued a 90-day ban and is investigating the plant and the manufacturing process.
Brazil launched its vaccine launch earlier this year with the vast majority of Sinovac-administered vaccines. Since then, there have been more photographs from other manufacturers.
Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said on August 25 that people aged 70 or over or with a weak immune system will be eligible for a third dose, starting September 15, preferably with the Pfizer vaccine.
Diana dos Santos, 71, received two shots of the Sinovac vaccine, but now refuses to leave the house until she gets the booster.
“I can’t get out like before and I’m still scared of all this,” Santos told The Associated Press. “I will feel safer [with a booster]”.
Chinese officials have maintained vaccine protection against the Delta variant, particularly avoiding hospitalizations and serious cases.
Brazil has reported more than 580,000 deaths from the virus, but the country has seen both the mortality rate and active cases fall in the last two months.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Rita Li is a journalist for The Epoch Times, focusing on issues related to China. He started writing for the Chinese edition in 2018.