Mexico signs deal to secure COVID-19 vaccine

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador signed an initial agreement Tuesday with UK's AstraZeneca, Pfizer from the US, and CanSino Biologics from China that would secure 146 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Mexico made an initial payment of $159 million and in total, Mexico will pay $321.21 million by the end of this year.

The government plans to vaccinate 116 million people by the end of 2021, with the first vaccination round to start in December. The initial vaccination will immunize 2.6 million people and by the end of the third quarter in 2021 the figure would reach 20 million.

"As of today, Mexico is in the same conditions as the European Union, the United States and other countries around the world, we have secured the supply," said Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

The first to receive the vaccine would be medical staff and the most dangerous cases such as patients with underlying conditions. Mexico has 1,320 COVID-19 related deaths from medical employees. The lack of protection equipment and increasing cases has taken a toll on doctors and nurses. The protection of those who work directly with COVID-19 cases is pivotal in the fight against the virus.

Mexico is fourth worldwide in coronavirus deaths and tenth in infections.

The government's plan to immunize up to 95% of the population.