Illustration Credit: Steve Sack, Cagle Cartoons
As COVID-19 vaccines continue to be delivered across the world, countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are racing to secure supplies for their citizens. Countries across the region are procuring vaccines from diverse sources and accelerating medical approval to get vaccines administered as fast as possible. This week, President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) of Mexico joined a now growing list of heads of state to contract COVID-19. According to the Mexican Interior Minister Olga Sanchez, AMLO is recovering from the virus and is doing “very well.” Although Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has publicly refused to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, he has since changed his tone on inoculations for his citizens and has vowed to ensure that all Brazilians get the vaccine as quickly as possible.
Reports say that the Russian Sputnik V vaccine may be fully manufactured and produced in Brazil by April. This would also accelerate the distribution of the Russian vaccine to neighboring countries, which have signed significant agreements to receive Sputnik V. A shipment of 240,000 additional Sputnik V vaccines were sent to Argentina and Bolivia this week, increasing both countries’ short supply. Mexico is set to join a growing group of Latin American countries that have approved the Russian vaccine after failing to receive a substantial amount of vaccines from other sources. Russian producers, however, have warned South American clients that there may be shipment delays of up to three weeks due to capacity restrictions.
While many countries have turned to Russia for vaccine alternatives, others are striking deals that will influence the geopolitics of the region. After accusing wealthy nations of “hoarding” vaccines, Jamaica has turned to producers in China, India, and Cuba in order to procure inoculations. Earlier this week, Venezuela announced that it would begin testing Cuba’s Soberana 2 vaccine. Chile, for its part, has turned to China’s Sinopharm vaccine, receiving its first delivery of 2 million doses this week. The caveat with Chile’s vaccination plan is that Sinopharm is not approved to be administered to those over the age of 60. Peru also approved for importing 1 million doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine.
Many countries in the region, including all of CARICOM, are receiving shipments from the global vaccination scheme, COVAX. The program has gotten off to a slow start; however, a new agreement with Pfizer-BioNTech, securing 40 million additional vaccines, is projected to provide some much needed assistance.
Reports say that the Russian Sputnik V vaccine may be fully manufactured and produced in Brazil by April. This would also accelerate the distribution of the Russian vaccine to neighboring countries, which have signed significant agreements to receive Sputnik V. A shipment of 240,000 additional Sputnik V vaccines were sent to Argentina and Bolivia this week, increasing both countries’ short supply. Mexico is set to join a growing group of Latin American countries that have approved the Russian vaccine after failing to receive a substantial amount of vaccines from other sources. Russian producers, however, have warned South American clients that there may be shipment delays of up to three weeks due to capacity restrictions.
While many countries have turned to Russia for vaccine alternatives, others are striking deals that will influence the geopolitics of the region. After accusing wealthy nations of “hoarding” vaccines, Jamaica has turned to producers in China, India, and Cuba in order to procure inoculations. Earlier this week, Venezuela announced that it would begin testing Cuba’s Soberana 2 vaccine. Chile, for its part, has turned to China’s Sinopharm vaccine, receiving its first delivery of 2 million doses this week. The caveat with Chile’s vaccination plan is that Sinopharm is not approved to be administered to those over the age of 60. Peru also approved for importing 1 million doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine.
Many countries in the region, including all of CARICOM, are receiving shipments from the global vaccination scheme, COVAX. The program has gotten off to a slow start; however, a new agreement with Pfizer-BioNTech, securing 40 million additional vaccines, is projected to provide some much needed assistance.
