Dec 24, 2020 - Health

Mexico becomes first Latin American country to vaccinate against COVID

Shawna Chen

Photo of a masked nurse getting the vaccine — A nurse was the first person in Mexico to receive the vcaccine. Photo: Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty

Mexico became the first Latin American country to begin coronavirus vaccinations, amid a surge in cases, the New York Times reports.

Why it matters: The serum arrives as Mexico's hospitals reach a breaking point. The country tallies over 1.3 million COVID-19 cases and 120,000 deaths, per John Hopkins University data, though actual numbers are believed to be much higher.

The big picture: Authorities are prioritizing health care workers in December and January before moving to vaccinate older Mexicans most at risk.

The first 3,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine were delivered in Mexico on Wednesday, and vaccinations began the next day; another 50,000 doses are set to arrive this month.
Hospitals have buckled under the recent spike in cases. 85% of beds are filled according to official figures per NYT.
Mexico City, a COVID hotspot, banned nonessential activities last week in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

Context: Latin American countries have suffered high death counts as the pandemic ravages health care systems and ruptures economies.

Costa Rica, Chile and Argentina are expected to begin their own vaccination campaigns this month.

What to watch: Brazil has an even higher case count than Mexico, with 7.3 million and more than 189,000 deaths. Brazil’s health regulatory agency has not yet approved any vaccine, per NYT.

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Mexico becomes first Latin American country to vaccinate against COVID

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