Photo: Google

By KELIN DILLON

Batches of AstraZeneca’s vaccinations against covid-19 that were packaged in Mexico, made with active substances manufactured in Argentina, will be released this month, said Alejandro Svarch, head of the Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris).

“I have the high honor and pleasure to inform you that the first four batches of AstraZeneca vaccine meet Cofepris specifications, with which they will continue to their corresponding release this week,” said Svarch on the morning of Tuesday, May 25.

A total of 15 tests are necessary on each batch to confirm the doses are ready for public use, with four having already completed the proper trials and others now in the process.

Once the go-ahead is given by the AstraZeneca headquarters in London, 800,000 of the vaccines will be distributed in Mexico and another 800,000 will be shipped to Argentina, said Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard.

The Mexican plant will continue manufacturing AstraZeneca vaccines to help supply to other Latin American countries in need of doses, Ebrard said.