COVID-19 vaccine to be universal and free in Mexico

A potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University will be produced in Mexico if its advanced trials are successful and it receives regulatory approval, Mexican government said Thursday.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said agreement with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, which also provides for production in Argentina, should result in a vaccine that government would provide free, starting in first quarter of 2021.

Secretary of Foreign Relations Marcelo Ebrard said results of phase III trials would be presented for regulatory approval sometime in vember.

Production of vaccine in Mexico and Argentina would allow for distribution throughout Latin America, except for Brazil, which has already reached its own agreement with drug maker.

Slim Foundation, founded by Mexican buisiness magnate Carlos Slim, is facilitating production project .

"All Mexicans are going to have access to vaccine," López Obrador said.

Mexico already has agreements with four vaccine projects to carry out Phase III trials in country, but this is first production agreement.