COVID-19 SITUATION IN MEXICO WEEKLY REVIEW #40

COVID-19 SITUATION IN MEXICO Weekly Review # 40 February 2, 2021

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

2

DISTRIBUTION OF DEATHS PER STATE: CONFIRMED CASES: 1,869,778

NEW CASES REPORTED: 5,448

DEATHS: 159,100

ACCUMULATED DEATHS PER DAY

Information updated on February 1, 2021 at 19:00 hrs local time.

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

3

INCREASE OF CONFIRMED CASES SINCE THE FIRST REPORT MAP WITH THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE INCIDENCE RATE OF ACCUMULATED CASES OF COVID-19 BY ENTITY OF RESIDENCE.

0 to 500 (1 states) 501 to 1,000 (10 states) 1,001 to 1,500 (10 states) 1,5001 to 2,000 (6 states) >2,000 (5 states)

National rate 1,449.70

Elaborated by Prodensa with information from the Health Ministry of Mexico

CORONAVIRUS IN THE WORLD (COVID-19) • As of February 1 2021, globally there have been reported 102,584,351 confirmed cases (444,580 new cases) of COVID-19 and y 2,222,647 deaths (10,885 new deaths*). Lethal rate: 2.2%.

• In the last 14 days, the number of new cases accounts for 7% (7,194,795) of the total of accumulated cases. *https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200323-sitrep-63-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=d97cb6dd_2

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

4

TOWARDS THE “NEW NORMAL” INCIDENTS OF CONTAGIONS IN THE POPULATION

BY REGION AS OF FEBRUARY 2

DEATH INCIDENTS IN POPULATION

BY REGION AS OF FEBRUARY 2

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

5

TOWARDS THE “NEW NORMAL”

The traffic light will be as follows: Alert Level

Activities allowed to operate

Maximum risk

• Only essential activities.

• Vulnerable personnel must work from home.

High risk

• Full operation of essential activities and reduced operation in non-essential activities.

Presence of workforce to a 30% in non-essential activities.

Medium risk

Low risk: Continuation of daily activities

General criteria • Promote work from home, as much as possible.

• Allow a distance of 1.5 meters between people and/or provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) accordingly.

• Place physical barriers in workstations, eating areas, etc.

• Increase the frequency of transportation and alternate seats for safe distance.

• Establish alternate and flexible schedules and shifts to reduce contact.

• Implement filters at entries and exits.

• Full economic activity.

• Restricted activities in public spaces.

• Presence of all personnel at the workplace.

• Implementation of health protection measures.

• Provide permanent attention to the vulnerable population

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

6

KEY POINTS OF THE PRESIDENT ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR Morning press conference January 26 - February 2, 2021 OUTSOURCING The Head of Government Secretary argued that there had been a positive dialogue with all sectors, including business and union. She mentioned that the fact that the Open Parliament is working on this topic is very important for the construction of a regulatory consensus.

COVID-19 VACCINE The federal government opened the registry of older adults who will be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Lopez Gatell reiterated that the preparation of the vaccination cycle for older adults has already been opened. The web page to carry out the process is mivacuna.salud.gob.mx.

HEALTH OF THE PRESIDENT Secretary Sanchez Codero mentioned that the President is recovering, announcing that, probably, next Monday, he will be in charge of the daily press conferences again.

THE PULSE OF HEALTH In the agreement published on January 25 in the Official Gazette of the Federation so that local governments, as well as individuals and legal entities, can collaborate with the federal government in the National Vaccination Strategy, Zoe Robledo mentioned that it should be reported to the government about the acquisition of those doses to consider it in the vaccination schedule and guarantee the traceability of the vaccination process.

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED

BY THE UNITED STATES Regarding the new requirement to present evidence to travel, the Mexican government stressed that the Chancellor is in permanent dialogue with the US authorities. He also specified that the necessary actions are already being carried out at airports to implement modules that carry out PCR tests to address the situation.

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

7

VACCINATION PROGRESS

During the morning press conference, Undersecretary Hugo Lopez Gatell informed that a contract for the purchase of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V was signed. He stated that the vaccine has a 92% efficacy and can be safely used in the elderly population. Minister Marcelo Ebrard mentioned that the vaccine Astra Zeneca will be packed and distributed in Mexico. He added that CanSino will present the preliminary studies for phase 3 during this week and remained

that Pfizer will continue supplying the vaccine on February 14.

The federal government announced that the registration for the elderly population to get the vaccine is available now.

As of February 1st, 675,202 doses had been applied since December 24th, 2020.

From this, 43,455 had been applied as second doses.

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

8

MEASURES TAKEN

BY STATES IN MEXICO GENERAL: After the U.S. and Canada launched provisions for all passengers entering into their territory to have a negative COVID-19 PCR or Antigen test, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (GAP) and Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte (OMA) announced that they will facilitate the installation of temporary laboratories at the Guadalajara Tijuana, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Guanajuato, Hermosillo, Mexicali, Morelia, La Paz, Aguascalientes, Los Mochis, Manzanillo, Mazatlan and Culiacan airports, so that users who do not a valid test, can take the test and travel safely to North American countries.

AGUASCALIENTES With information until February 2, Aguascalientes added 75 new infections and 4 more deaths from COVID-19 in the last day, as reported by the Ministry of Health. With this, the entity reached 17,224 cases and 1,977 deaths from coronavirus. According to the Ministry of Health, Aguascalientes is positioned as the fourth entity with the highest number of tests applied per 100,000 inhabitants, with 4,386 tests. The fatality rate of the coronavirus in the state amounts to 11.5%. Aguascalientes remains with less than 50% occupancy in general hospital beds and 63% in beds with ventilators (the fourth-highest percentage in the country.) The comorbidities with the highest incidence among those who died from COVID-19 are hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. 70% of the deaths correspond to the capital municipality. Regarding gender, 61% of deaths have occurred in men, 39% in women.

BAJA CALIFORNIA The State of Baja California continues to be considered at maximum risk status, and according to official numbers, the month of January 2021 has been the deadliest month of the pandemic for the State of Baja California, with an average of 39 deaths per day, and a total of 1,223 deaths.

January was also the month to register the highest number of COVID-19 cases, with 7,033 total positive cases. Considering this information and according to Health officials, 18.16% of all deadly victims of the pandemic occurred in January 2021. To have a more organized COVID-19 vaccine, the State Government started online registration of all adults over 60 years old, prioritizing for the vaccination campaign once the frontline medical workers are fully covered. The next shipment of vaccines is yet to be received, but officials expect the next shipment to be received on the second week of February. Most economic activities continue to operate with restrictions and safety protocols.

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

9

MEASURES TAKEN

BY STATES IN MEXICO CDMX Authorities presented the General Hospital of Topilejo. More than 600 million pesos were destined for its construction from INSABI and the City government; 250 million pesos will be used for equipment. The construction was carried out through a collaboration agreement with SEDENA. In conjunction with the Digital Agency for Public Innovation (ADIP), the city’s epidemiology team is making a study with the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (SISVER) database to find out how many people have tested positive for COVID-19 twice.

GUANAJUATO Even though the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Guanajuato has been declining, according to reports from the Ministry of Health, the number of deaths from this virus continues to increase. It was reported that 133 more people lost their lives due to coronavirus.

The Government of Guanajuato will invest in the acquisition of 400 oxygen concentrators, which will be granted as a loan to the population that needs them the most. Once they vacate them, they can return them to be given to another person more and thus mitigate the shortage of oxygen in the state and the country due to its demand due to the increase in patients affected by COVID-19.

JALISCO According to the Health Secretariat, with information until February 1, Jalisco reported 44 new deaths caused by COVID-19. To avoid contagion of the virus, besides respecting and complying with sanitary measures, the Ministry of Health recommended that the population stay exercised, since “regular physical activity strengthens the immune system and reduces the risk of developing complications by up to 50% and be hospitalized in case of acquiring the coronavirus “, he assured.

This is concluded by international studies that include the Mayo Clinic and other hospitals in the United States, which recommend reinforcing the preventive aspects of which each person has control, said the agency. “Exercising is one of them because it increases lung capacity and with it, resistance to respiratory infections, including that caused by SARS-CoV-2,” he said.

COAHUILA Coahuila will join other entities to finalize a consolidated purchase of vaccines against COVID-19 for the entity. It could acquire one million more doses for the second half of this year, announced the Governor, Miguel Angel Riquelme Solis. He clarified that the drug provision is not yet precise.

Still, negotiations have already begun with a pharmaceutical company, of which he failed to give the specific data that he assured will provide this during the next days.

TAMAULIPAS The Health Commission of the Senate of the Republic assured that vaccines against COVID-19 for the elderly will go down to Tamaulipas and begin to be applied between February and March.

However, the availability for entrepreneurs will be from October of this year or until 2022. The governor of Tamaulipas, Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca, said that his government will allocate 600 million pesos to purchase COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

10

MEASURES TAKEN

BY STATES IN MEXICO QUERETARO The state of Queretaro again reports a maximum historical record of infections reported in a single day, adding 865 infections on Friday, January 29.

The Technical Health Committee members once again urged the population to comply with the measures aimed at reducing mobility. In addition, suggesting the cancellation of all kinds of family and social gatherings, particularly avoiding coexistence during February 2 and 14 (Holidays), because the impact that the holidays had on the increase in infections has been detected. In parallel to the state committee’s determination, the update of the federal epidemiological traffic light keeps the state in red, high risk, for the second consecutive period, for the period from February 1 to 14.

The Director of Health Services of the State’s Ministry of Health, Martina Perez Rendon, reported that in Queretaro, between 180,000 and 200,000 adults over 60 will be able to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The Federal Government announced the beginning of the registration of adults over 60 years of age who wish to apply the COVID vaccine, available on the page mivacuna.salud. gob.mx.

NUEVO LEON In a weekly virtual meeting with the Municipal Presidents, Manuel de la O Cavazos, Secretary of Health in the state, showed an image detailing the vulnerable population that would enter into the application of the vaccine: • Adults over 60 years old, 764,980 • Public health personnel, 39 thousand 663 • Private health personnel, 26 thousand 224 • General population, 3 million 023 thousand 258 Meanwhile, the population not included in Nuevo Leon’s vaccination are population under 16 years of age, 1 million 472 thousand 999; and pregnant women, 70 thousand. Among all sectors, he specified, there is a total of 5 million 397 thousand 124 citizens in Nuevo Leon.

SONORA Although the State of Sonora has remained as a high-risk or on the orange traffic light, more municipalities of the State have experienced increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases, with 6 of the largest municipalities now considered as a maximum risk or red light status. State officials declared that in the last 24 hours, 30 patients lost their lives, bringing the total to 5,145 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. It has been reported that hospitals continue to be over 80% of their capacity, and medicinal oxygen supply has started to run down. According to a ranking from the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), Sonora is the Mexican State that has the most resilient economy, as its economic recovery is the highest in the country.

STATE OF MEXICO The red epidemiological traffic light for COVID-19 will be extended as in Mexico City. Some shopping malls and non-essential stores may open but with strict health measures.

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY COMCE SEES A V-SHAPED RECOVERY FOR MEXICO’S EXPORTS IN 2021 Mexico will have a 9% year-on-year growth in its merchandise exports in 2021, which would imply a V-shaped recovery, estimated Fernando Ruiz Huarte, general director of the Mexican Foreign Trade Council (Comce).

Mexico’s merchandise exports totaled 417.67 billion dollars in 2020, representing a 9.3% decrease at an annual rate and its largest drop in the last 11 years.

The main impact on Mexico’s foreign sales would be the greater demand from the United States, its primary export market, and an economy projected by the Comce to grow by 5% in the current year.

Ruiz Huarte emphasized that Mexican exports will be an engine of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), considering that they would more than double the growth of Mexico’s economy in 2021, expected to be around 4%, also according to Comce’s calculations.

Comce representatives have requested a meeting with the Secretary of Economy, Tatiana Clouthier, to raise points related to the development of an industrial policy and the diversification of markets, with greater promotion of Mexican foreign trade.

“Mexico has 13 free trade agreements; we have to be creative to take advantage of the complex moment in the world due to the pandemic and low consumption”, said Miguel Angel Landeros, national Vicepresident of Comce, when participating in the same press conference.

11

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

12

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY DEBATE ON THE PAYMENT OF PROFITS IS FOCUSED ON SETTING A MAXIMUM BETWEEN 30 OR 60 DAYS

The debate on the payment of profits to workers is focused on two proposals: whether to grant an average of 30 days, as proposed by the employer sector; or whether 60 days should be considered, to avoid a reduction in the amount, in the event of adding a greater number of workers who are no longer in an outsourcing company and are entitled to the benefit.

(PTU) was 6,397 pesos; companies with more than 251 workers granted a higher amount with an average of 10,536 pesos.

The previous derives from the conclusions of the forums organized by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) before presenting the proposal regarding outsourcing, which seeks to eliminate employer substitution to grant all labor rights to workers, including the payment of annual profits.

“Profit sharing does not only happen in Mexico; there are other countries in the world that participate in this scheme.

In some countries, it is not conditioned; in others, it is, but some countries clearly have it as an element that is not conditioned, and that is part of a more redistributive system of income to allow workers to have a greater share of national income and national product,” said Saul Escobar Toledo, a specialist in the matter, member of the Observatory for Labor Reform.

According to data from the Economic Census, the national average paid by companies as Workers’ Profit Sharing

Analyses presented at the work tables highlight that establishing a 30-day cap could harm workers and benefit companies so that they pay less PTU.

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

People healed from coronavirus

Vaccinated people in the world

13

76 Millions 101,308,238

GOOD NEWS MEXICO SIGNS CONTRACT FOR MILLIONS OF RUSSIAN SPUTNIK V VACCINE DOSES Mexico’s Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said the Latin American nation had signed a contract for Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine and would likely issue an emergency use authorization for it within hours.

Lopez-Gatell said the contract provided 7.4 million doses between February and April, with more due to arrive in May. “This gives us an enormous opportunity to accelerate vaccination in Mexico,” he said.

Global interest in Sputnik V was bolstered on Tuesday after peer-reviewed results from its late-stage clinical trial were published in The Lancet international medical journal.

Sputnik V was 91.6% effective in preventing people from developing COVID-19, according to results published in The Lancet.

Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week about buying 24 million doses of the vaccine.

Lopez-Gatell met Russian officials and gained access to technical files about the vaccine during a trip to Argentina

in January. Argentina started rolling out Sputnik V to health workers in December.

Mexico has also struck an agreement for 2 million vaccines produced by Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine producer by volume, in February and March, Mexico’s Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Tuesday.

Source: Reuters

COVID-19 Situation in Mexico

14

RECOMMENDATIONS QUESTIONS AND FACTS ABOUT COVID-19 VACCINES

EHS

Will a COVID-19 vaccination protect me from getting sick with COVID-19?

Yes. COVID-19 vaccination works by teaching your immune system how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19, which protects you from getting sick with COVID-19.

Being protected from getting sick is important because even though many people with COVID-19 have only a mild illness, others may get a severe illness, have longterm health effects, or even die. There is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you, even if you don’t have an increased risk of developing severe complications.

DAVID ANTUNEZ Environmental, Health, and Safety Director.

HEALTH MEASURES IN THE WORKPLACE

LABOR

In the fight against the pandemic, all actions that prevent the spread of the virus, and therefore contagions, are key. Still, it must be done effectively distinguishing between those measures that have a greater impact from those that do not.

Today we know that constant hand washing and cleaning surfaces are an essential part of the protocols, and it is necessary to follow them. Still, even more important is to maintain social distancing and the use of masks, as the latter is more efficient in cutting the chain of contagion. There is more evidence of contagion through the airway than through surfaces.

Keeping the health measures in the workplace with facemasks and, when possible, double facial protection will help keep companies free of contagion.

ALVARO GARCIA HR Director

BASIC PROTECTIVE MEASURES AGAINST COVID-19

1 2 3 4 5 Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds.

When coughing or sneezing, cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or use the inside corner of your arm.

Avoid shaking hands and kissing.

Keep your workspace clean and don't share personal items and utensils.

If you show symptoms of a cold or flu, go to a doctor. Do not self-medicate and inform your supervisor and Human Resources department.

www.prodensa.com