GENERAL SITUATION IN MEXICO
Weekly Review # 74 I September 29, 2021
2
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY WHAT ARE THE SIX LABOR AXES THAT OUR TRADING PARTNERS SEE IN THE USMCA? Based on the Federal Labor Law reform, the labor changes require constant monitoring, not only because they must meet deadlines but also because there is an observation of our trading partners within the USMCA. In this sense, there are six fundamental axes of the labor reform, which are also part of the USMCA: discrimination and violence at work; forced and child labor; migrant workers; labor inspection; subcontracting and democracy and union freedom, which requires a permanent followup, according to the document “Diagnosis on the current situation of the working population in Mexico: labor human rights from NAFTA to USMCA and its Chapter 23”. In this sense, Claudia Iris Olvera Sule states that “it is importanttobuildasolidplatformtoeradicatediscrimination in employment, firstly, because the Constitution and international treaties require it; besides, it is an issue that was included in the USMCA.” It is worth highlighting that people have the right not to be discriminated against in employment. They have the right to decent work and a decent, well-paid working life, free of violence and discrimination, which allows us to develop in other areas, such as the family. “This becomes even more relevant when it comes to historically discriminated groups such as women, people with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex LGBTI people, indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants, etc.,” he stressed. The great deficiency in the historical process of eliminating all types of violence and discrimination in the workplace are the strategies and resources to implement them since they must be accompanied by exemplary actions of prevention and sanction to employers.
Another important issue under the USMCA’s spotlight is labor inspection, where three weaknesses were detected: the type of legal or illegal subcontracting, which is carried out in different ways within companies; the lack of adequate supervision of inspection; and the third is finding mechanisms for inspectors to identify the different forms of gender-based violence. It also points out that, if it is possible to revitalize labor inspection, it is likely that in the medium term, a process of wage balance and working conditions, in general, will be achieved in the three countries. Regarding union democracy and freedom of association, he notes that it will be difficult to make workers believe that this system will be useful. However, it is essential to insist that real union democracy is the only way to change. Freedom of association allows workers to organize, although it is not enough on its own. “You can have freedom, but without democracy, you lack the processes to defend your rights. That’s why freedom necessarily has to be linked to democracy.”
3
GOOD NEWS THE U.S. BEGINS BOOSTER DOSES WITH 25% OF ITS POPULATION STILL UNVACCINATED.
The United States will begin providing booster doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to several groups - the elderly, vulnerable, and at-risk workers - but struggling to contain the pandemic because 25% of its population is reluctant to be immunized. People over 65 years old, adults with diseases such as diabetes or obesity, and workers at risk of infection such as healthcare workers, teachers, or food store employees will be the first to be eligible for a third dose of the vaccine. However, only if they are already using Pfizer’s vaccine, the first to receive approval for the booster. In addition, six months will have to have passed since they received the second vaccination from Pfizer before they can receive the third, which means that twenty million people can, from now on, have recourse to the booster. All these details were given this morning by the U.S. President, Joe Biden, in a speech at the White House in which he stressed that the Government had been guided by experts and the medical community in deciding on these boosters.
SOURCE: FORBES
4
GOOD NEWS
THE OTHERS WILL HAVE TO WAIT THEIR TURN
In his speech at the White House, Biden, who assured that he would get the booster as soon as he can, sent a message of reassurance to those who still cannot access a new dose. In this way, he assured those who have the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine that they still have a “high degree” of protection against the disease and reminded them that these vaccines would also be studied to approve their booster at a later date. And for those who may be considering receiving a booster dose even if they are not in the groups defined on Friday, Biden asked them to “wait their turn” and wait for reports on other groups and other vaccines to be completed. The Government’s chief epidemiologist, Anthony Fauci, said that it is necessary to wait for all the relevant studies - and the data from Moderna and J&J have not yet begun to be analyzed - and that it is also required to wait for the recommended time to pass for the booster to be efficient and allow an adequate increase in antibodies. They are 70 million people, something “totally unacceptable,” according to the president. He insisted that this is already only the pandemic of the unvaccinated. He warned that he would continue to promote whenever he could meet the requirement to be vaccinated for certain groups, as he did with federal workers or all military personnel. “Don’t let this become your tragedy; get vaccinated,” Biden insisted.
SOURCE: FORBES
In any case, the president did not hide his satisfaction at launching this new stage with the booster doses that his Government has been defending despite the initial reluctance of the scientific community and the criticism of other countries, which consider that before starting with the third dose it is necessary to guarantee that the vaccine reaches the most significant number of people on the planet.
5
KEY POINTS OF PRESIDENT ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR’S Morning Press Conference Sep 22-28, 2021
VACCINES Lopez Obrador pointed out that progress has been made in the national vaccine and having other options. On the other hand, at the end of October, people over 18 will be finished with being vaccinated with at least one dose. The decision to vaccinate children with some diseases has already been made, as is already done in the case of pregnant mothers. The vaccination of children will be according to the national vaccination plan and doctors’ recommendations. RELATIONS WITH CUBA President Lopez Obrador mentioned that Mexico has good relations with all the world’s countries since they are based on respect, so the “Mexico is synonymous with friendship” policy will be maintained. He mentioned that the conservative adversaries would like to have a conflict over the invitation to the President of Cuba, but this will not be the case. He explained that Mexico and other countries have requested in the UN, for a long time, that the blockade against Cuba be lifted. However, it has not been achieved even though 182 countries voted to eliminate it and only two votes against it, but it will continue to insist.
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxEgOKuI-n-WOJaNcisHvSg
FTA WITH UNITED KINGDOM He commented that it is a matter that corresponds to the three countries that are part of the USMCA, so it must be reviewed trilaterally. He explained that, following the departure of the United Kingdom with the European Union, they seek to develop bilateral relations to give solidity to their commercial relations. MEXICO AS HEADQUARTERS OF AFFAIRS FOR LATIN AMERICA In response to a question about the proposal of the President of Venezuela for Mexico to host an organization to deal with Latin American affairs, President López Obrador considered that this was not appropriate. However, he recognizes that Venezuela, since the CELAC meeting, has been working to seek unity and avoid confrontation. VACCINATION AGAINST COVID 19 OF MINORS The Undersecretary of Health, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, informed that he would start the vaccination of between 750k and 1.5 million girls, boys, and teenagers between 12-17 years of age with some comorbidity, who will be vaccinated with Pfizer, the only vaccine authorized for this age group.
6
MEASURES TAKEN BY STATES IN MEXICO
BAJA CALIFORNIA The State of Baja California remains considered as medium-risk or yellow light. Official reports confirmed 1,319 active cases in the last week, with hospital occupancy at 43.63%. The percentage of the population with a complete vaccination scheme increased to 80.50%. The vaccination plan continues this week with the application of the complete vaccination scheme of Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, and Sinovac to the adult population in Tijuana, Ensenada, and Mexicali. Also, the governor of Baja California reported that Baja California would receive J&J vaccines next week.
SONORA Most of Sonora´s municipalities are considered medium-risk tier or yellow light, two municipalities in the highrisk tier or orange light, and four out of 72 in the low-risk tier or green light. 62 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours and 2,520 active cases in the past fourteen days. The vaccination plan continues with the application of the complete vaccination scheme of Astra Zeneca and Pfizer to the adult population in different municipalities.
7
MEASURES TAKEN BY STATES IN MEXICO
COAHUILA The United States Customs and Border Protection Office announced that on Saturday, September 25, the crossing of the International Bridge on the border between Coahuila and Texas was opened to allow the gradual resumption of activities. The Ciudad Acuña-Del Rio International Bridge allowed passenger vehicles and pedestrians, while on Monday, September 27, the commercial passage was allowed from 8:00 in the morning. TAMAULIPAS Index Reynosa announced that it managed the application of vaccines against COVID-19 for more than 27 thousand minors between 12 and 17 years of age, children of manufacturing industry employees. NUEVO LEON In a first dose, the Vaccination Brigade announced the vaccination of people between 18 and 29 in the municipalities of Guadalupe, Garcia, Escobedo, Salinas Victoria, and Zuazua. This new vaccination process in the state’s municipalities began this Saturday, September 25, in Salinas, Victoria, where there will be two days of vaccine application.
8
MEASURES TAKEN BY STATES IN MEXICO
QUERETARO The Southern zone of Queretaro has accumulated 12,119 cases of Covid-19 so far during the pandemic, of which 8,624 belong to the municipality of San Juan del Rio, being this the one with the highest incidence in this region, according to the General Directorate of Epidemiology (DGE). Next is the municipality of Pedro Escobedo, with 1,884, of which 51.27% are males, and 48.73% are females, 85.24% are at home as ambulatory cases. In the case of the municipality of Tequisquiapan, 1022 infections have been registered so far during the pandemic, of which 52.45 are men and 47.55 are women, and Amealco de Bonfil has registered 589 infections. In this sense, the increase is notorious among the female population, reporting 53.14% and 46.86% among men. There are 922 deaths in these four municipalities, of which 624 are from San Juan del Rio, 121 from Tequisquiapan, 125 from Pedro Escobedo, and 52 from Amealco. There are 321 active cases of Coronavirus in the region; 219 are from San Juan del Rio, 41 from Tequisquiapan, 40 from Escobedo and 21 from Amealco de Bonfil.
JALISCO The 741,760 vaccines against covid-19 that arrived last Friday night will be used for second doses of Moderna and first and second applications of AstraZeneca for people from different municipalities and age groups informed the Ministry of Health of Jalisco. Through a press release, the State Government announced that the shipment arrived by land from Mexico City after several weeks of not receiving more doses from the Federation. The head of the state agency, Fernando Petersen Aranguren, was receiving the 39th delivery of biologicals from the Federal Government for Jalisco. In this way, he said, the process of immunization of the people of Jalisco will be able to advance and “reach the goal that the Federal Government itself has set: that the entire population over 18 years of age has at least one dose of the vaccine by the end of October and thus continue to face this pandemic”. The document specified that more than half a million vaccines correspond to Laboratorio Moderna, which will provide the second dose, while 184 thousand are from AstraZeneca, which will be used for the first and second application in different municipalities and age groups.
9
MEASURES TAKEN BY STATES IN MEXICO
AGUASCALIENTES Through an injunction obtained by federal courts, three minors should receive in less than 30 days and without bureaucracy the application of the anti-COVID vaccine from the Pfizer-BioNTech laboratory, which is the biological vaccine authorized by the Cofepris, for emergency use in adolescents from 12 years of age. These are cases that have been won by two local law firms, which have filed the amparo suits on a Pro-Bono basis, that is, free of charge, considering that they have sought to enforce the right to protect the health, especially of children and adolescents who face diseases that make them vulnerable. For the time being, it is expected that the First District Court has begun to notify the respective authorities in charge of the vaccination process, so that at least in the cases in which the amparo has been obtained, a way is sought to inoculate them without being part of a special list, as it is intended to begin to do based on the diseases that make minors vulnerable, given that the result of the trial and the decision to start vaccinating this population soon, has been a coincidence. It is likely that once the first cases have been won, there will be another series of lawsuits requesting the same. Given this, protection is also given to the minors benefited by the injunction, so that as long as the expected vaccine is not administered, parents will
not be forced to present their children to classes in person, but rather, they will be offered the alternative of taking them remotely or by any other alternative means if the conditions allow it. GUANAJUATO Until September 27th, in Guanajuato, 171,769 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed, 699 are under investigation, while 228,533 cases have been ruled out. As for community transmission, 171,613 cases have been identified. In addition, 154,797 cases of the disease have been recovered. There are 12,314 deaths in the state. In the recent third wave of cases, the SSG data informed that August and September are the months that are registering most deaths, and so far, both months report 366 and 421 deaths caused by the coronavirus.
10
MEASURES TAKEN BY STATES IN MEXICO
STATE OF MEXICO The Governments of Mexico and the State of Mexico, in coordination with the municipalities of the State of Mexico, announced the beginning of the application of the second dose in 26 municipalities. In 15 districts the schemes will be completed for people from 40 to 49 years old, among them are: Chalco, Valle de Chalco, Ixtapaluca, Tlalnepantla, Atizapan de Zaragoza, Nicolas Romero, La Paz, Nopaltepec, Otumba, Teotihuacan, Acolman, Axapusco, San Martin de las Piramides, Temascalapa and Chimalhuacan. Likewise, 11 municipalities will apply second doses to young people from 18 to 29 years old, among them: Amecameca, Atlautla, Ayapango, Cocotitlan, Ecatzingo, Juchitepec, Ozumba, Temamatla, Tenango del Aire, Tepetlixpa, and Tlalmanalco.
CDMX According to the Ministry of Health, at the beginning of a new epidemiological week, the epidemic curve had a 26 percent reduction compared to the previous week. The epidemic curve has been declining for six weeks due to a sustained and accelerated decrease in the rate of infection in the country. The Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, assured that one million children and adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age who have risk factors for serious illnesses and even death from Covid-19 would be vaccinated. The statements come after last week, Lopez-Gatell declared that for every minor vaccinated, thanks to an injunction, the opportunity is taken away from a person at higher risk, which caused controversy. As of last week, there were 262 requests for injunctions to vaccinate minors.
11
VACCINATION PROGRESS
The Ministry of Health reports that 166,854 doses were applied this Sunday, totaling 63 million 473,608 people over 18 years of age with at least one vaccine, which represents an advance of 71 percent of the adult population. Of the total number of people immunized, 70 percent completed the scheme, equivalent to 44,626,347 and 18,847,261, i.e., 30 percent, vaccinated. The 32 states report a total of 99,366,403 doses applied since December 24. The greatest progress is recorded in Mexico City, with 93 percent; Queretaro, 92 percent; Quintana Roo and Sinaloa, 86 percent.
12
TOWARDS THE “NEW NORMAL”
DISTRIBUTION OF DEATHS PER STATE DUE TO THE PANDEMIC
INFORMATION UPDATED ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 AT 19:00 HRS LOCAL TIME.
NEW CASES REPORTED: 3,007
SOURCE: https://www.gob.mx/salud/
CONFIRMED CASES: 3,635,807
NEW DEATHS REPORTED: 230
CONFIRMED DEATHS: 275,676
13
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.
National rate 45.21
0 to 10.0 (0 states)
40.1 to 50 (6 states)
10.1 to 20 (5 states)
50.1 to 60 (3 states)
20.1 to 30 (3 states)
60.1 to 70 (2 states)
30.1 to 40 (9 states)
>70 (4 states)
Elaborated by Prodensa with information from the Health Ministry of Mexico
PANDEMIC’S SITUATION IN THE WORLD • As of September 27, 2021, globally there have been reported 231,703,120 confirmed cases (286,460 new cases) of COVID-19 and 4,746,620 deaths (5,290 new deaths*). Lethal rate: 2%. • In the last 14 days, the number of new cases accounts for 3% (7,026,313) of the total of accumulated cases.
SOURCE: https://www.gob.mx/salud/
14
TOWARDS THE “NEW NORMAL” INCIDENTS OF CONTAGIONS IN THE POPULATION BY REGION AS OF SEPTEMBER 28
DEATH INCIDENTS IN POPULATION BY REGION AS OF SEPTEMBER 28
SOURCE: https://www.gob.mx/salud/
EHS
15
COVID-19 VACCINE BOOSTER SHOT
What’s the difference between a booster dose and an additional dose? Sometimes, moderately to severely immunocompromised people do not build enough (or any) protection when they first get a vaccination. When this happens, getting another dose of the vaccine can sometimes help them build more protection against the disease. This appears to be the case for some immunocompromised people and COVID-19 vaccines. The scientists recommend moderately to severely immunocompromised people consider receiving an additional (third) dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (PfizerBioNTech or Moderna) at least 28 days after the completion of the initial 2-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series.
LABOR
In contrast, a “booster dose” refers to another vaccine dose given to someone who built enough protection after vaccination. Still, then that protection decreases over time (this is called waning immunity). Some developed countries have developed a plan to begin offering COVID-19 booster shots to people this fall. Implementation of the plan is subject to Health Ministry’s authorization and Scientist’s recommendation.
DAVID ANTUNEZ Environmental, Health, and Safety Director.
DIGITAL DISCONNECTION The January 2021 Labor Law reform added new provisions regarding remote work obligations and rights, including the right to disconnection for workers. Mandating employers to guarantee work disconnection during weekends, holidays, and vacations is not new in Mexico. The Mexican norm 035, which had its first implementation phase two years ago, stipulates that employers must make sure that maximum work hours are respected and that they are not excessive and do not require activity after hours, and avoid any interference with personal or family activities. The right to disconnect is an issue that is gaining more and more attention; some nations have already legislated, Mexico is heading that way. In our country, there are already legislative bills to regulate this right to disconnection with further detail. Companies do not need to wait for legislation to change in order to take action to ensure that employees have an adequate work-life balance, especially now with the increasing use of digital platforms for work management. Today companies can set clear limits that allow employees to digital disconnect and do not feel the obligation to attend, without boundaries, work activities outside of their ordinary working hours.
ALVARO GARCIA HR, Vice President
www.prodensa.com contact@prodensa.com