Vaccines developed in Cuba that are not recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) are used for this purpose. These are the first Covid-19 vaccines developed in Latin America.
The Cuban Communist government aims to vaccinate all children before the reopening of schools, which have been largely closed since March 2020 due to the pandemic.
The new school year in Cuba started on Monday, but distance learning takes place via television programs, as most Cuban households do not have an internet connection.
Cuba, which has completed clinical trials of its Covid-19 vaccines “Abdala” and “Soberana” for minors, launched a vaccination campaign for children from the age of 12 on Friday.
The distribution of vaccines to children between the ages of two and 11 began in the province of Cienfuegos on Monday in the country.
Several other countries around the world are already vaccinating against Covid-19 from the age of 12, and some are testing younger children.
Several countries, including the United Arab Emirates, China and Venezuela, have announced plans to vaccinate children under the age of 12, but Cuba is the first country to do so.
Cuba has seen an explosive increase in Covid-19 cases in recent months, putting pressure on its health system.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 5,788 Covid-19-related deaths have been reported in Cuba, about half of them in the last month. Almost a third of all infections have also been recorded in the last month.
