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Havana, June 24 (RHC)-- Cuba is likely to become the first country in the world to have its entire population vaccinated by the end of 2021 against Covid-19 with its own vaccines, said on Thursday the president of BioCubaFarma, Eduardo Martinez.

During a press conference on the progress of the Caribbean nation's vaccine proposals, the head of the Business Group of Biotechnological and Pharmaceutical Industries (BioCubaFarma) said that the country would step up its immunization rate to have the most Cubans protected by the end of the year.

He recalled that both the anti-Covid-19 project of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Abdala, and the one of the Finlay Vaccine Institute (IFV), Soberana 02, have already surpassed the efficacy limit (50 percent), established by the World Health Organization to be considered vaccines.

Abdala showed 92.28 percent efficacy in its three-dose schedule, while Soberana 62 percent with only two doses. However, the latter has yet to demonstrate the efficacy of its three-injection formula, in which the third is a Soberana Plus, also designed by the IFV.

In this regard, the Institute's director, Vicente Vérez, clarified that the results of this last scheme are expected to be between 85 and 95 percent of efficacy, which will be announced in the next few days.

Once most of the efficacy studies have been concluded, he said the report will be submitted to the regulatory authority, State Center for the Control of Drugs and Medical Devices (CECMED), to request the candidates' emergency use.