Mexican Army to Handle COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Marcelo Ebrard, Minister of Foreign Affairs, tweeted on Monday that a plane carrying over 439,729 doses of Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine against COVID-19 arrived at Mexico City International Airport (AICM). The batch came from Belgium and was taken to Palacio Nacional, from where vaccines will be distributed across the country by the Mexican Army (SEDENA).

“Today, we received the fifth shipment and, because there is no bad fifth, this one will allow us to continue vaccinations starting tomorrow,” said Health Minister Jorge Alcocer, according to Milenio. “We aim to finish vaccinating health personnel and after that, we will continue with seniors.” Application of these vaccines was set to begin on Wednesday, Jan. 13, announced the Minister of National Defense, Luis Cresensio Sandoval, reported La Jornada.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that an operation center will be installed at Palacio Nacional to follow up on the logistical distribution, with the participation of SEDENA, the Navy, the Ministry of Health and the government. “It is a professional logistics plan. From this general trial of massive deployment, vaccination will begin throughout Mexico. Because of this, we stand by our statement that by the end of March we will have all older adults vaccinated because things are being done professionally,” said López Obrador, reported La Jornada. Mexico’s distribution strategy will be under military control and the vaccines will be distributed by air in 25 of the 32 states. In the remaining seven states, which concern the megalopolis of Mexico City, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo, Queretaro and Morelos, the vaccines will be distributed by land, reported Forbes Mexico.

Sandoval announced that eight aerial routes will be uses to distribute the vaccines that arrived on Monday, reports A21. The routes are planned as follows:

Route 1: Hermosillo - Tijuana - La Paz

Route 2: Chihuahua - Torreon – Apodaca

Route 3: Merida - Cancun - Chetumal – Campeche

Route 4: Leon - San Luis Potosi - Zacatecas - Durango - Culiacan – Tepic

Route 5: Morelia - Colima - Zapopan – Aguascalientes

Route 6: Veracruz - Oaxaca - Tuxtla Gutierrez – Villahermosa

Route 7: Chilpancingo - Acapulco - Zihuatanejo (Helicopter)

Route 8: Tampico - Ciudad Victoria - Reynosa - Nuevo Laredo

Vaccines are set to arrive at 879 hospitals across the country, alongside the necessary equipment for their application, such as syringes and diluting liquids, said a representative of SEDENA to A21. Sandoval also reported the implementation of 32 distribution centers, 179 security guards and 46 aircrafts to secure distribution and application.