Mexico signs deal to buy 35 million doses of Chinese CanSino COVID vaccine

Mexico’s foreign minister has announced that the Health Ministry signed a deal with CanSino Biologics to secure 35 million doses of the Chinese-manufactured vaccine.

FM Marcelo Ebrard praised the move as providing “more options for Mexico” in the country’s fight against coronavirus, as the country prepares to begin a nationwide vaccination program by the third week of December. 

The agreement, made between Health Secretary Jorge Alcocer Varela and CanSino Biologics Chairman and CEO Xuefeng Yu, was shared on Ebrard’s Twitter account on Thursday morning.

The CanSino Biologics vaccine, produced with the support of military-backed researchers, is one of five being made in China. It entered phase-three trials in September, and the first doses arrived in Mexico in October. The jab has to be delivered in two doses given 28 days apart.

Mexico has been in the midst of a second wave of Covid-19, reporting 11,974 new infections and 781 deaths on Wednesday, bringing the nation’s total number of cases to 1,205,229 and fatalities to 111,655. 

The Mexican foreign minister’s announcement comes as a number of vaccine candidates edge closer to approval by regulators across the world. Moderna says its vaccine can successfully protect 95 percent of people, Russia has released data showing the 92-percent effectiveness of its Sputnik V vaccine, the UAE has rated as 86 percent effective China’s alternative Sinopharm vaccine, and Oxford/AstraZeneca claim data shows their vaccine is 70 percent effective.

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