As virus cases & deaths still rise in Juarez, Mexico plans to use military to distribute vaccine

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico — Mexico’s president says he plans to give the military a role in distributing coronavirus vaccines, which he says U.S. President Donald Trump helped him get after a meeting in Washington in July.

Mexico has registered 1.1 million confirmed cases and 107,500 confirmed deaths, the fourth-highest death toll in the world. However, there’s little testing and health officials estimate the actual death toll is likely closer to 150,000.

In Ciudad Juarez on Thursday, cases climbed to 21,778 with deaths now reaching 2,160. Across the entire state of Chihuahua, there's been a total of 38,884 cases and 3,622 deaths. 

Meantime, López Obrador suggested Mexico will wait until U.S. regulators approve the Pfizer vaccine later this month before giving it the go-ahead in Mexico.

Mexico’s Health Department has signed a contract for 34.4 million doses and hopes to get 250,000 doses in December. Each person requires two doses.

The president says the government is discussing with “the army and the navy, and we are defining the whole operation” to distribute the vaccine. López Obrador has given the military an unprecedented array of responsibilities in his two years in office, including distributing medical supplies and guarding hospitals.