#13/2021
For immediate release
Thursday, November 4, 2021

Press Release

CROSS-BORDER COVID-19 VACCINATION PROJECT FOR BAJA CALIFORNIA 12-18 MINORS

A cross-border project to apply COVID-19 vaccines to 450 minors - between 12 and 18 - from Baja California was launched today in San Diego, CA.
The first group of about 150 people, including minors and some of their parents or guardians, who were selected by NGOs, were transported to downtown San Diego from Tijuana, Baja California in three buses and a minibus.
The first doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, donated by the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), were applied this morning by County nurses at the Consulate General of Mexico (1549 India St, San Diego, CA, 92101).
Organizations such as Tijuana Innovadora, Boys and Girls Club of Tijuana, B.C, Acción Social en Red, Consejo de Desarrollo de Tijuana and Programa de Educación Migrante from Baja California´s Public Education Secretariat, selected the groups of candidates, ensuring that all of them had a valid tourist visa and met HHSA eligibility requirements.
Both rounds of vaccination for minors will be accomplished in six dates during November and December 2021, with round trip transportation in 18 buses and six mini buses sponsored and operated by the company Autubuses abc Plus (MEXICOACH Inc.).
The Consul General of Mexico in San Diego, Carlos González Gutiérrez, highlighted the importance of regional immunization for Mexican commuters, given the fact that the border will soon reopen to tourist visa holders.
"Fortunately, we can count on this type of cross-border collaboration initiatives to match the vaccination levels in the San Diego-Baja binational region", said the Mexican Consul, who recalled the recent binational effort to vaccinate 26,414 maquiladora workers from Baja, from May to June 2021.
Regarding the project to inoculate Mexican national minors, Nora Vargas, Vice Chair, San Diego County Board of Supervisors said: “Healthcare has no borders and I’m thrilled to partner again with the Mexican Consulate in San Diego to provide vaccines for 12 to 18-year-olds from Baja so that they too can be protected from COVID-19.
“I am grateful for our own Health and Human Services Agency that donated these vaccines and staff to help in this effort. This type of cross-border collaboration is an excellent example of solidarity and that these proven programs work and result in the wellbeing of everyone’s health in our binational region.” – Vice Chair Vargas.