Coronavirus vaccine can turn people into ‘crocodiles’ or ‘bearded ladies’, claims Brazil President

Dec. 19: Launching a sharp attack on coronavirus vaccines, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro went to the extent of suggesting that the one developed by Pfizer-BioNTech could turn people into crocodiles or bearded ladies. “If you turn into a crocodile, it’s your problem,” Bolsonaro said, referring to Pfizer’s disclaimer that the company was not responsible for side effects. “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.” Scientifically speaking, this seems to be a baseless accusation against coronavirus vaccines.

That vaccine has been undergoing tests in Brazil for weeks and is already being used in the United States and Britain. The Brazilian Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the vaccine was obligatory, although could not be “forced” on people. That means authorities can fine people for not being vaccinated and ban them from certain public spaces, but not force them to take it.

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.” Brazil has recorded the third-highest number of coronavirus cases, after India and United States, with over 71.62 lakh infections.