Cuba’s Abdala vaccine available in Saint Vincent and the Grenedines

Kingstown, Dec 29.- The Cuban-made Abdala vaccine against Covid-19 is available to the population of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the first country in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to authorize the use of that immunizer, it was reported on Tuesday.

The vaccine, developed by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), received the authorization for emergency use from the national regulatory entity in July, and became the first of its kind in Cuba and Latin America, the Vincentian Ministry of Health reported on its Facebook account.

Abdala was 92.28-percent effective in preventing the symptomatic disease and 90-percent effective in preventing seriously-ill patients affected by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

It also revealed a 99.15-percent increase in antibodies in volunteers aged three to 11 years and 98.28 percent in those aged 12 to 18 who participated in the Ismaelillo clinical trial carried out in the central province of Camagüey.

With these results, Cuban health authorities approved a mass vaccination campaign, as well as its administration to the population aged two to 11 years since October, a decision that made Cuba the first country in the world to protect this age group from Covid-19.

On the other hand, the State portfolio recalled that other vaccines have been administered in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, including Sputnik V and Sputnik Light (Russia), AstraZeneca (United Kingdom) and Pfizer (United States).

Until December 16, 59,702 doses of vaccines against Covid-19 were administered in that country, 33,192 of which were first injections and 25,262 were second doses, according to the source.

(Prensa Latina)