Ebrard: Date of Mexico COVID Vaccinations Will be Announced in November

Mexican Secretary of Foreign Relations Marcelo Ebrard announced that the start of COVID vaccinations will be announced in November.

“Already in November we can say what day we begin to vaccinate (…) that will happen, without a doubt,” he said.

The optimism of the Mexican Foreign Minister is based on the various vaccine projects that are in phase 3 trials, and that the first results could be obtained as soon as November.

Once phase 3 results of different vaccines are delivered, he said, it will be the Ministry of Health that evaluates and decides on their application in Mexico.

“We will not lack the vaccine, that is a fact,” he declared.

Interviewed after participating in the presentation of the results of the Mexican Foundation for Health (FunSalud), Ebrard stressed that the Mexican government is participating in several vaccine projects so as not to be left out.

“We do not bet all the eggs in one basket. We are on time. And in very different projects we have seen all the projects progress, that they can be successful,” he said.

This Wednesday it was reported that Russia and Mexico signed an agreement to guarantee the supply of 32 million vaccines against COVID, Sputnik V, which would begin to be distributed during November 2020, subject to “approval by the authorities of the Mexican government regulators,” as reported by the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

On August 11th, the Russian government officially registered the first coronavirus vaccine, which would be administered to risk groups first; that is, elderly people, or those with comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

The Undersecretary for Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo López-Gatell Ramírez, explained that the Landsteiner Scientific laboratory made preliminary agreements with the Russian government to obtain 32 million of the Sputnik-V vaccine, but said that the government is not involved.

In addition, he emphasized that Cofepris must verify the quality, safety, and efficacy of the vaccine before it is applied among the general population.