Donated US vaccines arrive for Mexican border cities

Mexico has received 1.35 million doses of Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccines donated by the United States

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico received 1.35 million doses of Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccines donated by the United States Tuesday and Mexican officials said that once they are applied, there would be no reason to continue restricting travel over the U.S. border. The U.S. vaccine shipment will be used to vaccinate anyone over 18 in four cities along the U.S. border: Tijuana, Mexicali, Ciudad Juárez and Reynosa. Mexico has said the goal is to boost vaccination rates there to levels similar to the U.S. cities they adjoin. Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, who was meeting with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in Mexico City, said that after the vaccinations “there will be no public health arguments for keeping the border closed.” The U.S. and Mexico have restricted border crossings to essential travel since early in the pandemic.