Back to School/Five Months of Reduction in COVID-19 Cases

Mexico sees lower death, contagion rates for fifth straight month. Deputy Minister of Health Hugo López-Gatell emphasized that Mexico has had five continuous months of reduction in contagions, deaths and hospitalizations due to COVID-19. “We have completed 20 full weeks of decline in the epidemic. It is encouraging that, in the course of five months, the epidemic has receded in all the indicators we have at hand.” López-Gatell added that Mexicans must continue to take care of themselves because there is a risk of a third wave.

Almost 1 in 3 Mexican adults is vaccinated. López-Gatell highlighted that the government has administered 34,658,545 doses to 24 million Mexicans. “We are vaccinating faster and faster. In the (last) week, we vaccinated more than 1 million people in a single day. We have expanded the capacity of vaccination units." López-Gatell said that 27 percent of the adult population has been vaccinated and that the government is getting closer to having one in three Mexican adults vaccinated. Minister of Health Jorge Alcocer added that the vaccination of people over 20 years of age will soon begin.

Johnson & Johnson vaccines to arrive soon. Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard said he expects the Johnson & Johnson vaccines donated by the US to arrive in Mexico over the weekend. "We already had three discussions with Johnson & Johnson and the US authorities this week to receive the doses over the weekend. The vaccines will expand our vaccine portfolio." Ebrard said that Mexico ranks sixth in the world among the countries with the most doses administered and added that the new vaccines could raise Mexico's rank.

15 states reopen schools. Minister of Public Education Delfina Gómez Álvarez announced that there are face-to-face classes in Aguascalientes, Baja California, Campeche, Chiapas, Mexico City, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Jalisco, State of Mexico, Morelos, Nuevo Leon, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Veracruz. Gómez explained that 24,406 schools are open, of which 21,187 are for basic education, 2,609 for secondary education and 620 for higher education. "Fifteen states have returned to face-to-face classes. Durango stopped the return and at noon we will confirm their situation. Twelve states will return in the next cycle."

Extension of the presidential mandate of the SCJN. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador observed that the decision to extend the mandate of the President of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) Arturo Zaldívar will be decided by ministers. “I am in favor of extending the term. It is not a re-election. It could help fight corruption and nepotism within the judiciary."

Zaldívar announced that an extraordinary consultation will be held to review and resolve the transitory article that extended his mandate for two years. The article has generated mistrust and, therefore, the case will be presented in the SCJN.

Click HERE for full transcript in Spanish