Cuban children as young as 2 can now get vaccines

Cuba has begun a major vaccination campaign for children between the ages of 2 and 10, becoming one of the first nations to do so. Health officials say Cuba’s homegrown vaccines have been found safe to give to young children.

“Our country would not put (kids) even at a minimal risk if the vaccines were not proven save and highly effective when put into children,” said Aurolis Otano, director of the Vedado Polyclinic University.

Otano said the circulation of the Delta variant produced an increase in infections among the youngest, so Cuba’s scientific community decided to “take the vaccine to clinical trial” and it was approved for children.

In previous weeks, the vaccination of Cubans between 11 and 18 began. The plan includes two doses of Soberana 02 vaccine and one of Soberana Plus, as was done with adults. In addition to the Soberanas, Cuba has developed another national vaccine, Abdala.

Cuba faces a persistent COVID-19 outbreak that almost collapsed its health-care system. Provinces such as Matanzas, Ciego de Avila and Cienfuegos received support from doctors from other parts of the country and even from international donors.

In June, Chinese regulators approved the use of the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines for children ages 3 to 17. The United States and many European countries currently allow COVID-19 vaccinations for children 12 and older.

Children have largely escaped the worst of the pandemic and show less severe symptoms when they contract the virus. But experts say children can pass the virus on to others and suffer negative consequences.

“As more adults receive their COVID-19 vaccines, children, who are not yet eligible for vaccines in most countries, account for a higher percentage of hospitalizations and even deaths,” said Carissa Etienne, director of the Pan American Health Organization. “We must be clear: children and young people also face significant risks.”