Brazil to cancel contract for Russian COVID-19 vaccine, minister says

Brazil plans to cancel a contract signed in March for 10 million doses of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said on Thursday, as the South American nation struggles with one of the worst outbreaks in the world. Queiroga said the move was due to lapsed deadlines in the registration process with Brazilian health regulator Anvisa. He added that Brazil's national immunization program does not currently need the Russian vaccine, though that could change if Anvisa licenses Sputnik V.