Argentina to co-produce coronavirus vaccine with Mexico

[sandensea]

Argentine President Alberto Fernández has announced that Argentina and Mexico will co-produce millions of doses of a coronavirus vaccine developed by scientists at the University of Oxford, for distribution across Latin America.

Fernández, speaking at a press conference at the Olivos presidential residence this evening, said that the two countries would be in charge of the Latin American production and distribution of a vaccine created by Oxford researchers and AstraZeneca, a Swedish-British pharmaceutical group.

Argentina will be in charge of producing “the active substance,” with Mexico finishing “production and packaging” of up to 100 million doses.

He said that Argentina - where AstraZeneca operates both lab and production facilities - “could be in a position to vaccinate” by the first quarter of 2021.

Both countries have been hard-hit by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, with Argentina recording over 5,200 deaths and Mexico, 54,000.

Latin America has recorded around 227,000 Covid-19 deaths thus far - some 30% of the world's total.

At: https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/argentina-to-produce-coronavirus-vaccine-from-university-of-oxford.phtml

Argentine President Alberto Fernández (center) discusses today's vaccine production and distribution agreement with Health Minister Ginés González García (second from right), and AstraZeneca Argentina officials Agustín Lamas and Agustina Elizalde.

Today's agreement envisages the production and distribution for Latin America of up to 100 million doses by March 2021, in collaboration with AstraZeneca Mexico.

[Iliyah]

1. The race for a vaccine . .

Vaccine war . ...

[Judi Lynn]

2. Heard about the discovery at the University of Oxford a couple of weeks ago. Respectable.

One would certainly expect it to be quite a bit more useful than Trump's miracle cure which can even kill you.

I was wondering how long it would take them before they started putting it into production.

That's a whole lot of the vaccine headed for the citizens of Argentina and Mexico. Very best wishes to them. No doubt Presidents Alberto Fernández and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador have made very wise decisions. Best wishes to everyone involved.

[sandensea]

3. I strongly suspect that, in Argentina's case, RW elements have been trying to spread it

Despite early efforts to impose social distancing (greatly relaxed since May), contagion has taken off in Argentina since June - which new daily cases and deaths now coming in nearly at U.S. rates (proportional to population).

There was an incident on August 7 in which, during a right-wing news program, one of the panelists noted that contagion rates are now projected to reached 10,000 daily before long (currently 7,000).

And the host of the program, the radicalized motormouth Diego Leuco, made a spontaneous fist-pump.

Since he's not known for that gesture - and though he tried to explain it away (a day later) - it was obvious he was somehow counting on those bad news.

As if it had been discussed with others, who were also counting on it.

That said, Judi, this is indeed very good news for both countries - and the whole region.

AstraZeneca and Oxford had been working with Argentine scientists (and with other nations) for a few months now - and while these momentous news were expected, they was certainly not expected so soon.

(Macri was said to slam his fist on the table when he heard, I might add)

[Judi Lynn]

4. So enjoyable hearing Macri is enraged over this progress. Maybe Diego Leuco should visit him!

I gather, from looking at the photos, Diego Leuco must be in a category of his very own as one of the world's most obnoxious, pompous, irritating brats. He's so similar to the US Proud Boys, etc., but he looks as if he's one of the very best anywhere. So cocky, vain, yet insecure, nervous. He looks as if he can't live without attention, is ALWAYS on. Immature, relentless.

Bet he will burn himself out sooner than he could imagine.

Leave it to the right-wing to root for more suffering among the people of the country during a progressive Presidency. All the more reason to hope for this vaccine to get enough distribution to do its work!

[sandensea]

5. That's him alright.

Very perceptive of you as always, Judi.

Leuco, sadly, is one of the top-rated Argentine news anchors right now (number one, among right-wingers certainly). He's like a cross between Mark Levin and Tucker Carlson, you might say.

As for the fist-pump, here it is:

He asks the panelist: "Could there be 10,000 (daily) new cases by next week?"

The panelist answers: "There's a number that's made officials shudder, because 10,000 is the number being estimated by next week..."

Fist pump (then he wipes his hand on his pants a little and looks up sheepishly, realizing what he just did)