Rio starts vaccinating the youngest against COVID-19

Health authorities in Rio de Janeiro state began vaccinating young people between the ages of 12 and 18 on Thursday, in an ongoing campaign aimed at reaching 90% state's population by the end of the year.

High-school-age girls were the first group to receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at the Museum of the Republic, in Rio's southern zone.

Dozens of students began receiving doses early Thursday and nurses and health officials say they expect to distribute thousands of doses over the coming days.

Public health officials are especially concerned with the spread of COVID-19 in schools, which have now opened, and say they will prioritize getting as many students vaccinated as possible by the end of August to prevent outbreaks in classrooms.

Infections and hospitalizations have dropped recently in the state.

Health officials are planning an aggressive vaccination campaign in the coming months, hoping to inoculate most residents of the seaside city and surrounding communities.