Jen Psaki Defends Joe Biden Sending Millions of Vaccines to Canada and Mexico: ‘The Pandemic Knows No Borders’

White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended Thursday a decision to send coronavirus vaccines to Mexico and Canada, even as the majority of Americans are not vaccinated.

“The reality is the pandemic knows no borders,” Psaki said. “Ensuring our neighbors can contain the virus is a mission-critical step to any pandemic.”

The United States plans to send about 4 million doses of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine to Mexico and Canada according to a report from Reuters.

Mexico will receive 2.5 million vaccine doses and Canada will receive 1.5 million according to the report.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved AstraZeneca’s vaccine for emergency use, but it has been green-lighted in other countries. AstraZeneca has manufactured millions of doses in the United States.

Several countries in Europe, including France, Germany, and Italy, suspended the distribution of the vaccine after concerns it caused blood clots.

The European Medicines Agency maintains the vaccine is “safe and effective.”

Psaki said the United States would continue to send vaccine doses around the world to help stop the coronavirus.

When asked if the vaccine deal with Mexico had anything to do with the ongoing migrant crisis on the southern border, Psaki pointed to the ongoing diplomatic relationship with Mexico.

“There have been expectations set, outside of and unrelated to any vaccine doses or request for them that they would be partners in dealing with the crisis on the border,” she said.