A technician told the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office that she was instructed to administer adult vaccines to children in Paraíba that were about to expire.

Brazil Agency - The nursing technician, identified as responsible for Administering Covid-19 vaccines to adults and over 40 children in Lucena, Paraíba.In her testimony to the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF), she stated that she was instructed to vaccinate all individuals who presented themselves, "because the validity of the Pfizer vaccines was about to expire." In her testimony, the professional, who was removed from her position following the incident, said she received the order from the Immunization sector of the municipality's Health Department.

Following the incident, the MPF opened a procedure to investigate responsibilities for the improper application of the vaccine to children. The technician, whose name was not revealed, gave testimony, via videoconference, yesterday afternoon (16), to federal prosecutor Janaína Andrade de Sousa and federal prosecutor Fabiana Maria Lobo da Silva.

The healthcare professional said she was hired by the city government at the end of November last year to "assist doctors and vaccinate children, adolescents, adults, and pregnant women" in administering all routine vaccines, but that later, in December, she also began administering vaccines against COVID-19.

According to the testimony, the improper administration of the vaccine to children occurred on December 29, 2021, and January 07 and 11. The nursing technician stated that the vaccination took place in two locations: one at the Basic Health Unit (UBS-5), located in Estiva do Geraldo, and the other at a settlement called Outeiro de Miranda, in the rural area of ​​the city, managed by the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (Incra). She said that many people showed up to get vaccinated and reported that the amount of vaccine administered was the same for adults and children.

The professional said she was alone during the vaccination drive, "without a coordinator, nurse, doctor, or dentist, accompanied only by a Community Health Agent (ACS)." She added that the order to vaccinate came from the driver, "everyone who was there to get vaccinated," because the Pfizer vaccines were about to expire.

The technician said she doesn't know how many vaccines she administered, that she was unaware that some vaccines had already expired, and that she did not receive any information from the Health Department about the differences in volumes for adults and children.

The COVID-19 vaccine authorized for children differs in dosage, composition, and concentration of the main component, messenger RNA, with the dosage representing the equivalent of one-third of the vaccine administered to adolescents (from age 12) and adults.

She told representatives from the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office that she had taken a general vaccination course, but that she had not received any specific training for vaccination against Covid-19, only an online training course which she did not attend because she was accompanying her mother in the hospital.

The professional reported that, during the vaccination drive at the settlement, a community health worker (ACS) filled out the vaccination cards, only signing them and administering the vaccine. According to the technician, the ACS also brought her five-year-old daughter to be vaccinated.

The community health worker also testified to the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office and stated that she filled out the cards because the nursing technician was alone. She said she noted the children's dates of birth, but that she doesn't know if any children under five years old received the vaccine.

The agent also informed the representatives of the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office that she was unaware that vaccination of children between five and 11 years old was not yet authorized and that she only learned of the improper administration of the vaccine after seeing a video of one of the mothers describing the situation of her children.

The mother also spoke with the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office and said she took her two children, one five years old and the other seven years old, to be vaccinated after receiving communication from the Community Health Agent via a WhatsApp group. After being vaccinated, the older child experienced adverse reactions such as dizziness and weakness for two days. In her testimony, the mother said she did not take the child to the Basic Health Unit because she "lost confidence after what happened."

Agência Brasil tried to contact the city hall of the municipality, but received no response.