Hope with Cuba's Sovereign 2 vaccine

2021/03/11 Roa Zubia, Guillermo - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Osasuna
• Bioteknologia
• COVID-19

Look at Cuba. In this island, the number of cases of covid-19 has been very small until December. But then, in what we call “third wave,” the number of cases has increased sharply.

Without going into deep assessments of international policy, it is clear that the blockade that Cuba is suffering is affecting much the management of covid-19. However, it must be remembered that Cuba has had a very powerful and high quality health system, and that in the current situation the results obtained thanks to research and development are worthy of mention. It is also mentioned in the New York Times articles. American Doctor Candace Johnson, president of Buffalo's Roswell Park Center, told the newspaper: “People sometimes believe that, being Cuba, researchers make medicine in the garage and distribute it to patients. It is not true. They are working with the same standard and quality as any other country.”

Perhaps the most striking work of Cubans under COVID-19 is the four vaccines in development. One of them, the so-called Sovereign 2, is very advanced in the last clinical phase. Vicente Vérez leads the team that has developed the vaccine, at the Finlay Institute of Vaccines, in Havana, with very good results for the moment. They soon expect a large production to start. As promised, this year 100 million doses will be made (11 million inhabitants in Cuba).

The protein-based vaccine combines the virus's spicular protein with a tetanus toxoid protein, another protein that acts as a carrier. The vaccine will be given in three doses within two weeks and will not be stored at extremely low temperatures such as Pfizer or Moderna. It is a great achievement. (Or it will be because the clinical tests are not finished yet.)

On the other hand, it must be said that many other things are testing against COVID. But the situation is not easy. Sticks to make PCR also have to be made from almost zero.

They want to attract tourists and have said that tourists would also have the opportunity to integrate. However, due to needs, great scientific work is being done against covid-19 in Cuba.