Mexican parents use injunctions to get kids vaccinated

Hundreds of parents in Mexico have resorted to filing for court injunctions to get coronavirus vaccines for their children after the government refused to consider vaccinating those under 18.

In the U.S. and other countries, childhood vaccinations are already underway, but Mexican officials have downplayed the risk for minors. That is despite the 613 deaths and 60,928 confirmed COVID-19 cases among people under 18 in Mexico to date.

About 15 parents have won the injunctions and got their children shots as the government presses schools to return to in-person classes Monday.

Alma Franco, a lawyer in the southern state of Oaxaca, was one of the first to seek vaccination for her children through the constitutional appeals known in Mexico as “amparos.” Such appeals ask a judge to strike down, freeze or reverse a government action that may violate the plaintiff’s rights.

Franco won the appeal and got a vaccine shot for her 12-year-old son, and then posted a copy of the appeal on social media so others could essentially copy and paste it and file their own.

“I am a mother, and I would not want any family to be in mourning because the Mexican government failed to defend the health of children,” said Franco, 48. She said an estimated 200 parents have followed her path to try to win vaccines.

Local media reported that 15 such injunctions have been granted so far and 31 rejected.

Ingrid Nattalie, a 13-year-old middle school student in the northern city of Mexicali, across the border from Calexico, California, was also got a shot, something her family’s lawyer, Jorge Lizarraga, called “a legal triumph.”

Mexico’s medical health safety board has approved Pfizer shots for use in people as young as 12. But in Mexico, only the government is currently able to import and administer the vaccines — so far giving around 57 million doses to those over 18, enough to cover 64% of adults with at least one shot.

To date, Mexico has suffered about 257,000 test-confirmed deaths. But because so little testing is done, official excess-death counts suggests the real toll is around 400,000.

The United States and 11 countries in Latin America have started vaccinating youths aged 12 to 17, in part because young people are believed to play a role in spreading the disease. But Mexico’s under-18 population hasn’t been included in the vaccination programs, which are free.

Assistant Health Secretary Hugo López-Gatell, the government’s point man for the pandemic, said “under the age of 18, there is a much lower risk of getting COVID, above all a severe case, and the risk of dying is practically nil.”

Dr. Andreu Comas, a professor at the medical school of the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí, said children are getting caught up in Mexico’s third wave of the virus, though severe cases are less frequent than in adults.

Comas said children are “big carriers and propagators of the disease.”

The administration of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has been urging parents to send their kids back to school for in-person classes, which have been suspended for almost 1 1/2 years, saying it is necessary for children’s intellectual and social development.

Many parents agree on the need to return to classes, but say it could be too much of a strain to do so without vaccines.

“The children have been locked up at home for a year and a half, amid fear,” Franco said. “This (vaccination) gives them some security and certainty that things will be better for them if they get infected.”

Hundreds of parents in Mexico have resorted to filing for court injunctions to get coronavirus vaccines for their children after the government refused to . . .

Follow Us On Google News | Get Our Newsletter



Trending News on PVDN

  • Where do foreigners come from and where do they live in MexicoMexico City Protest on July 5 Challenges Gentrification and Airbnb’s Impact on Housing Residents of Roma and Condesa will gather at Parque México on July 5 to protest gentrification, rising rents, and Airbnb’s effect on local housing. This Saturday, July 5, Mexico City will witness its first organized citizen protest against gentrification—a peaceful but urgent gathering taking place at 3:30 p.m. at the Lindbergh Forum in Parque México,…
  • raw-sewage-playa-los-muertos-puerto-vallartaMore Raw Sewage Dumping at Playa Los Muertos Appear to Come From Local Hotel Business owners in Puerto Vallarta are demanding action after raw sewage was discovered leaking onto Playa Los Muertos, raising public health and tourism concerns. A raw sewage leak at Playa Los Muertos in Puerto Vallarta has sparked outrage among local tourist service providers and business owners, who say the contamination is driving away visitors and…
  • puerto-vallarta-rainfall-hurricane-flossie-july-2025Puerto Vallarta braces for torrential rains as Hurricane Flossie gains strength Puerto Vallarta faces a high risk of flooding as Hurricane Flossie intensifies in the Pacific. Torrential rains and overwhelmed drainage systems pose major challenges for the city. Puerto Vallarta, a city wedged between the Sierra Madre mountains and the Pacific Ocean, is no stranger to dramatic weather shifts—but this summer, the skies are testing the…
  • puerto vallarta lettersPuerto Vallarta needs a new image to create meaningful reasons for travelers to visit Business leaders at Jalisco Tourism Secretariat forums stressed the need for renewing Puerto Vallarta image and diversifying attractions to appeal to national and international markets. Local business leaders and tourism specialists agreed this week that Puerto Vallarta needs a fresh look and a broader range of attractions to compete at home and abroad. In a…
  • José Luis Velázquez RodríguezSEAPAL Official Reported Missing in Puerto Vallarta Authorities in Puerto Vallarta have launched a search for José Luis Velázquez Rodríguez, SEAPAL's head of transparency, who has been missing since June 30. Family and officials are urging the public to report any information. Local authorities and civil protection units have launched a search operation for José Luis Velázquez Rodríguez, head of the Transparency…
  • mexico city real estateGentrification in Mexico City is not the reason for the high cost of housing City housing shortage, not gentrification, drives prices skyward as planning lags behind demand and foreigner influence remains minimal. High real estate costs in Mexico City stem from a deep and persistent housing shortage—exacerbated by land constraints, tangled regulations and speculative investment—rather than by the presence of foreign residents. Despite headlines blaming “gentrification,” foreign-born residents make…
  • no-damage-jalisco-hurricane-flossieNo Damage Reported in Jalisco as Hurricane Flossie Moves Away While Mexico's Weather Service predicted heavy rains, Hurricane Flossie causes no damage along Jalisco’s coast. The Category 3 storm brings light rain and moderate waves as it moves away from the region. The coasts of Jalisco remain calm and largely unaffected following the passage of Hurricane Flossie, a powerful Category 3 storm that is now…
  • hurricane-flossie-strengthens-july-1-2025Hurricane Flossie will bring tropical storm conditions to parts of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco Hurricane Flossie intensifies off Mexico's Pacific coast with winds near 90 mph. Heavy rain, flooding, and tropical storm conditions expected in parts of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco. Hurricane Flossie continued to intensify early Tuesday morning as it moved west-northwestward off the coast of southwestern Mexico, prompting tropical storm warnings and watches across multiple states.…
  • cancun-sargassum-environmental-fund-responseWhich Quintana Roo Beaches Clean From Sargassum and Those Covered Today July 4 2025 Daily sargassum tracking for July 4, 2025: see which Quintana Roo beaches are clear of sargassum and which have landings, with ongoing cleanup efforts keeping the coast visitor-ready. Welcome to the daily sargassum tracker for the Mexican Caribbean coast. Each morning, we tally which beaches in Quintana Roo remain free of sargassum and which have…
  • tropical-wave-7-floods-bacalar-chetumal-emergency-responseTropical Wave Floods Bacalar and Chetumal as Navy and Army Activate Emergency Plans Torrential rains from Tropical Wave 7 flood Bacalar and Chetumal, prompting emergency response from the Navy and Army. Several towns remain isolated in southern Quintana Roo. Torrential rains caused by Tropical Wave Number 7 have flooded multiple communities in southern Quintana Roo, prompting a joint emergency response from Mexico’s Navy and Army. Authorities activated their…
Scroll to Top