Diana Kim

Hundreds await to get the COVID-19 vaccine in southern Mexico City.

MEXICO CITY — About 168 million coronavirus vaccines have been administered in the U.S., while in Mexico only about 9 million. That’s almost half of the U.S. population vaccinated with at least one dose, compared to only 7% of Mexico’s population. And there are reasons and implications of the disparity.

The U.S. is among the nations with more vaccines and with a fast vaccination pace.

In Mexico, supplies arrive in small batches, and many analysts consider the government’s strategy slow. The vaccine is currently administered to the elderly, and many doctors still wait to get it.

Dr. Arturo Mendoza is an internationally prominent Mexican doctor. He said the vaccination gap between both neighboring nations could eventually affect bilateral relations at all levels.

“So what is going to happen is that the United States will have all of the country vaccinated in a few months, and in Mexico it will take about two years if not more,” Mendoza said said.

The Biden administration recently agreed to donate to Mexico 2.5 million exceeding doses of Astra-Zeneca vaccines.