Havana, Cuba: In order to ensure that the highest percentage of the Cuban population reaches or maintains the levels of antibodies required for protection against SARS-COV-2, the beginning of the administration of booster doses of Cuban vaccines against COVID-19 is scheduled for next month, the president of the BioCubaFarma Business Group, Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz, announced at a press conference held this Tuesday, the Granma newspaper publishes.
The specialit explained that, as part of the preparation of technical evidence for the reinforcement of vaccines, studies have been carried out in a group of people who have already completed six months of vaccination, showing that, after that time, they still maintain high levels of antibodies specific against the virus.
However – he added – a booster dose can already be applied in certain vulnerable population groups that, for some reason, do not achieve a high response, and are more likely to become infected with the virus and develop severe forms of the disease.
In this sense, he explained that from November it is expected to begin this process with the personnel of the Health and the biopharmaceutical industry, later extending to the population as prioritized.
For this, the nationally produced vaccines that have been obtained by Cuban science in these months will be used, such as the immunogens Soberana Plus, Soberana 01, Abdala and Mambisa.
Dr. Martínez Díaz recalled that in our vaccination strategy it was designed, from the beginning, to apply a third dose, anticipating that the appearance of more transmitting variants of SARS-COV-2 would decrease the levels of neutralizing capacity of the antibodies. “We designed it that way and that has worked for us, because after six months there are still high antibody titers,” he said.
However, with the booster dose, protection levels will be further increased, especially against the dangerous Delta variant.
Redacción Digital
Equipo de redactores del sitio web de Radio Mayabeque
