Maria Ruiz said that she was “afraid,” but the 48-year-old nurse was determined to play her part in helping Cuba’s ambitious drive to produce its own COVID-19 vaccine.
“It’s not the same when I give it to a patient or when I receive it,” she said, waiting for her shot of the Soberana 2 vaccine. “Whenever it’s good for me and for wider society, I’m there.”
Launched a week ago, the initiative aims to vaccinate 150,000 hospital workers, including technicians and maintenance staff, even before it has conducted clinical trials.
Cuba wants it to be the first vaccine made in Latin America to combat the coronavirus.
The Russian Sputnik V vaccine was another to be administered widely before clinical trials were complete.
Unlike in traditional trials, this time “we’re not using a placebo, it’s the vaccine straight up,” said Osiris Barberia Elejalde, deputy director of epidemiology at the Heroes of Corinth hospital in Havana.
The program has targeted hospital staff “because they are the ones in contact with the infected patients. That is to say, on the front line,” she said.
The search for a vaccine, begun in April last year, quickly became a source of national pride in Cuba. Hamstrung by more than half a century of US sanctions, Cuba has had to develop its own shots since the 1980s.
Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba neither tried to buy vaccines from the world’s leading manufacturers, nor benefit from the global COVAX initiative, which aims to ensure access to vaccines for poorer nations.
It might have seemed like a gamble, but Cuba has four vaccines at various stages of clinical trials, including two in the final phase: Soberana 2 and Abdala.
If either receives final authorization, it will be the first COVID-19 vaccine developed and produced in Latin America.
Cuba is hoping to roll out its vaccination campaign in June, but will rely on intervention studies before then to start immunizing its population of 11.2 million.
Almost all 2.1 million residents of Havana are due to receive their vaccine by May, with 6 million people vaccinated by early August.
“Can you believe it, that in such a short space of time, a country under embargo, with so many needs, has made a quality vaccine,” said Barberia, who added that while the intervention study is voluntary, so far “everyone” wants to take part.
Some “even want to bring their families, but we said no,” she said.
At the Heroes of Corinth hospital, doctors, nurses and even pest controllers rub shoulders during the different vaccination stages: temperature checks at the entrance, blood pressure test and questionnaire on the first floor.
Following the jab, everyone must wait an hour before leaving in case of an adverse reaction.
Alejandro Larrinaga, a 64-year-old doctor wearing a mask, arrived just after 9am. He took part in medical missions in the past to Mozambique, Angola and South Africa.
This time he has a different mission.
“I was happy to come and get vaccinated, to boost my immune system, [but] self-protection is more important than the vaccine,” Larrinaga said.
Cuba has reported 72,503 cases and 415 deaths.
Authorities want to complete their vaccination program this year and then offer the jabs to friendly nations.
Earlier this month, 100,000 doses of Soberana 2 were sent to Iran for testing, while 30,000 doses of Soberana 2 and Abdala are to be sent to Venezuela next month.
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