MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Bolivia aims to have vaccinated its adult population against COVID-19 by October, President Luis Arce said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Arce, who took office in November, said during a visit to Mexico that a small number of vaccines first reached Bolivia in January, with gradually larger shipments in February and March.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope by October of this year to be vaccinating 100% of the people who can be vaccinated, because remember there\u2019s not a vaccine yet for those under 18,\u201d Arce said at a news conference alongside Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.<\/p>\n
One of the poorest countries in South America, Bolivia has lagged behind some wealthier regional neighbors in securing bilateral vaccine supply deals.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s evidently an issue of production, that the planet is lacking vaccines,\u201d Arce said.<\/p>\n
Bolivia has signed deals to receive vaccines from Russia and China, as well as through the World Health Organization-backed COVAX initiative and from India\u2019s Serum Institute for AstraZeneca\u2019s COVID-19 shot.<\/p>\n