Vaccine Shortages Force Natal to Halt COVID Shots as Rio Pauses Flu Campaign

Overview

• Natal's health department suspended COVID-19 vaccination at multiple clinics after reporting limited supply and high demand.
• Reporters visiting five health units in the city found no COVID-19 doses on hand, with some sites out of stock for up to two weeks.
• Rio de Janeiro's city government stopped flu shots for the general public and will use the remaining stock to keep immunizing students in schools.
• City data in Rio show 897,000 influenza doses given but only 27% of the target population covered, including roughly 30% of older adults.
• Rio Grande do Norte state officials will ship 4,500 COVID-19 doses to Natal this week, as Brazil's Health Ministry notes it sent 2.2 million doses to states in April and urges people to keep their shots up to date.