Pandemic is Slowing Down / Mexico to Have Vaccine Access

Pandemic is slowing down. For a third week in a row, there are signs that COVID-19 infections are decreasing in Mexico, Deputy Minister of Health Hugo López-Gatell said. The official explained that the  slowing down of the pandemic can be seen in the percentage of people with symptoms in the last 14 days, and that only adding accumulated cases is not conclusive evidence of the status of the outbreak. Minister of Health Jorge Alcocer said the daily growth of new cases hit 1.2 percent. “We have learned that the epidemic is not homogeneous. In 144 days since the first infected Mexican, we have dealt with critical situations,” Alcocer said.

Mexico will have access to vaccine. According to ongoing trials, everything points to a COVID-19 vaccine emerging this year and Mexico will have access to it, Minister of Foreign Affairs (SRE) Marcelo Ebrard said. The minister explained that Mexico is part of a joint platform of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), the Coalition for Innovations in Epidemic Preparation (CEPI) and the World Health Organization (WHO), which aims to distribute 2 billion vaccines by the end of 2021. Ebrard stated that 16,322 Mexicans stranded abroad have been repatriated so far.

Wants to recover fertilizing plant money. Following the arrest and extradition of former PEMEX head Emilio Lozoya, President López Obrador said he is expecting to recover the money lost after two “scrap” fertilizing plants where purchased at above-market prices during the last administration. “We want to recover the money. It is calculated that the overpricing reached US$200 million and that has to be returned to the Treasury,” he said.

Oaxaca weekend tour. President López Obrador announced a tour to Oaxaca this weekend to visit infrastructure works. “On Friday, I am going to the Isthmus and then to the Oaxaca coast. I will be back on Sunday,” he said. The president noted that he will oversee the progress of the construction of two highways and the Salina Cruz port expansion works. The president stated that plane transportation is likely for this tour and that next week he is planning to visit Nayarit, Sinaloa and Baja California Sur.

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Click HERE for full transcript in Spanish