Mexico was expected to sign Pfizer’s vaccine deal on Wednesday

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s government would sign a contract on Wednesday with pharmaceutical company Pfizer for the supply of its coronavirus vaccine, Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said on Tuesday.

Pfizer has submitted details of its vaccine to Mexican health regulator Cofepris, and the country’s foreign minister said last month that the government expects the vaccine to reach Mexico in December.

Lopez-Gatell said the contract with Pfizer, which developed its vaccine together with German partner BioNTech SE, is expected to be signed by Health Minister Jorge Alcocer, and that the Finance Ministry is making plans to ensure Mexico has enough sets aside money to pay for the Pfizer and Pfizer vaccination programs. other vaccines.

Mexico’s contract with Pfizer will include ways to minimize challenges associated with its vaccine, which requires it to be transported and stored at -70 degrees Celsius (-94 F).

“The contract that will be signed tomorrow includes provisions for its distribution as close as possible to the point of use, so as to shorten the period of deep freezing and shorten the distance to be traveled,” Lopez-Gatell said.

He said the Mexican military will help with the vaccination process.

Lopez-Gatell also said Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen unit has begun its coronavirus clinical trial in Mexico, where it expects to have 20,000 subjects.

Mexico’s Health Ministry reported 8,819 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection and 825 additional fatalities on Tuesday, bringing the country’s totals to 1,122,362 cases and 106,765 deaths.

The government says the actual number of people infected is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases.

(Reporting by Sharay Angulo; Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Leslie Adler)