Mexico expects to receive 5 mln more AstraZeneca doses from U.S.

The United States has already provided AstraZeneca vaccines to Mexico, sending around 2.7 million doses in two shipments between late March and the start of April. Reuters reported on Thursday that Pfizer Inc will ship more of its COVID-19 vaccine to Mexico this week, including doses made in its U.S. plant, and that the New York-based drugmaker will be exporting doses now that a Trump-era ban has expired.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday he expects the United States to send Mexico around 5 million more doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to help with its efforts to inoculate the population.

Speaking at a regular news conference, Lopez Obrador told reporters that it was "probable" that the United States would make his country a loan of the 5 million doses while Mexico got its own production of AstraZeneca vaccine up and running. Mexico faces a crunch on vaccine supplies because of delays in starting production at its own AstraZeneca bottling plant, which was scheduled to play a key role in providing doses.

The problems have been compounded by Mexico receiving far fewer Sputnik V doses from Russia than had been agreed, and some delays in the arrival of Pfizer coronavirus vaccines. The United States has already provided AstraZeneca vaccines to Mexico, sending around 2.7 million doses in two shipments between late March and the start of April.

Reuters reported on Thursday that Pfizer Inc will ship more of its COVID-19 vaccine to Mexico this week, including doses made in its U.S. plant, and that the New York-based drugmaker will be exporting doses now that a Trump-era ban has expired.