Cuba: The Americas Leader in Vaccinations

By Ángel Guerra Cabrera on October 13, 2021

photo: Abel Padron Padilla

Cuba is the country in the Americas with the highest percentage of vaccination against covid-19 and with the highest daily vaccination rate in the world. It should be noted that, in addition, the authorities are considering the application of an additional booster dose in spite of the high effectiveness of Cuban vaccines, thinking of safeguarding health and life to the maximum once the economy is opened.

Today, between 200 and 300 thousand people are inoculated daily on the island out of a population of a little more than 11 million.  As of four days ago, 22,982,462 doses had been applied, so that 86.1 percent of the total population has received at least the first dose, equivalent to 98.4 percent of the population susceptible to be vaccinated.

Sixty-seven percent of people over 2 years of age have received the full schedule.  Cuba is the only country that has included children 2 years of age and older in its immunization strategy. It should be recalled that its vaccination scheme consists of three doses of Abdala or Soberana -immunogens created and manufactured domestically- and not two, as is the case today in the rest of the world, except in countries such as Vietnam, Iran, Venezuela or Nicaragua, which are applying Cuban biologics. In the Soberana scheme, the first two doses received by the immunized person are of Soberana 02 and then they are injected with Soberana Plus, designed from the beginning as a booster, which is also being massively applied, as a single dose, to those who have been infected, a unique experience in the world, with positive results. Cuba is the only country in Latin America and in what used to be known as the Third World that has created and massively applies its own vaccines.

This is a powerful tool of sovereignty, but it was also the only way to immunize its population. Asphyxiated by unprecedented US measures against its economy, paralyzed by the pandemic, tourism – its main source of foreign exchange – and a large part of its economic activity, Cuba – which has no access to international credit – has barely had enough resources since last year to acquire a vital minimum of fuel, food and raw materials for its pharmaceutical industry. There is a considerable shortage of food and medicines and it has been necessary to import reagents and other elements needed to produce vaccines. In such poor financial conditions, where would Cuba have found the more than 300 million dollars it would have cost to import from other countries the amount of vaccines needed to immunize its population?

Cuba has extensive experience in the invention and production of vaccines and other drugs and leads the world in mass vaccination campaigns. So it is not surprising that its anti-viral immunogens proved so safe and effective and that it is already experiencing a considerable decrease in the number of cases and deaths. For this reason, there is already talk on the island of opening up to tourism and opening up the economy as of November 15, after 18 months of almost total preventive confinement. At that time, almost the entire population over two years of age will have been vaccinated with a complete vaccination schedule and, of course, there will continue to be biosecurity protocols adjusted to the new situation.

In Cuba, it should be noted, 97.5 percent of those who have fallen ill from Covid have recovered, compared to 90.4 percent worldwide and 85.3 percent in the Americas. Incidentally, behind this major breakthrough, in addition to the feat of creating vaccines in just a few months, Cuban science and medicine have also shown for their work in combating covid, from the thorough detection and isolation of patients in the communities to the innovative treatment protocols, often using effective biotechnological and homeopathic drugs created in Cuba. This explains why the island has a 0.85 percent lethality rate compared to more than 2 percent in the Americas and the world.

No important measure in the fight against covid-19 in Cuba has been the result of improvisation. Since the virus appeared in Wujan, a strategy of confrontation began to be developed and at the beginning of 2020 the Government’s Temporary Working Group for the confrontation of COVID-19 was created, which has met almost daily since then, headed by President Miguel Díaz-Canel.  Then, the group of scientists and experts was created to face the coronavirus, which is also headed by the president which meets periodically and makes important decisions. All the steps taken regarding vaccines have been submitted to the prestigious national regulatory agency for approval.

There are riff-raff who, subjugated to their masters in the North, seek to destroy this will to fight for human life and dignity. They will not be able to, the Revolution has the firm support of the people.

Source: La Pupila Insomne, translation Resumen Latinoamericano – English