Cuba becomes first country to vaccinate young children against Covid-19

Cuba began immunizing children as young as two against covid-19 this week, becoming the first country in the world to immunize toddlers. At least 12 young children have died from covid-19 in Cuba this year, while there were no infant deaths from the disease in that country in 2020, according to the Miami Herald.

Cuba has developed its own vaccine against covid-19, a two-shot regimen known as Soberana 2 that has an efficacy of 91.2% after a booster called Soberana Plus, according to studies in the country that have yet to be peer reviewed. Cuba has developed its own vaccine, a point of pride for Cubans, due to the harsh sanctions still imposed by the United States, an archaic holdover from the first Cold War.

Cuba, which averages around 8,000 new cases of covid-19 each day, reported 3,727 new cases of covid-19 in children on Monday and Tuesday alone, according to the Miami Herald, including 236 infants and 16 newborns.

Immunizing children will be key to stopping the global pandemic, in large part because children now represent a growing share of cases. There were at least 243,000 cases of covid-19 in children from September 2 to 9 in the United States, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, accounting for about 29% of all cases in the country. Compared to the percentage of cases in children since the pandemic began last year, 15%, the virus is clearly making its way among unvaccinated children at an alarming rate.

“After declining in early summer, children’s cases have increased exponentially, with nearly 500,000 cases in the past 2 weeks,” said AAP, according to the University of Minnesota. Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

The youngest people who can get the vaccine in most countries are between 12 and 16 years old, with the United States clearing Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine for 12-year-olds in May. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are still only allowed for ages 18 and over in the United States

Major vaccine manufacturers in the United States have yet to submit applications for the use of their vaccines on children, but it is expected that fall or winter. But American infants won’t be able to get the covid-19 vaccine anytime soon. Children as young as five are the next generational batch that could gain FDA approval for covid-19 vaccination.

“If you look at the studies that we (National Institutes of Health) are doing in conjunction with pharmaceutical companies, there will be enough data to apply for emergency use authorization both by Pfizer, later by Moderna. “Dr Anthony Fauci told CNN on Tuesday.

“I think both of them, with Pfizer first, will most likely be able to have a situation where we can immunize children. If the FDA deems the data sufficient enough, we could do so by the fall, ”Fauci said.

The United States on Wednesday reported 170,109 new cases of covid-19 and 2,584 new deaths from the disease.