By María Josefina Arce
Vaccine candidate Abdala
Cuban science has undoubtedly earned a relevant place worldwide. Its high development is recognized by nations, outstanding institutions, experts and specialized publications. It has also made it possible for Cubans and citizens of other nationalities to benefit from medicines created by our researchers.
In recent days, New Biotechnology, the leading journal of the European Society of Biotechnology, published an article on the development by the scientific community of the Greater Antilles of the Abdala vaccine against COVID 19, of proven efficacy and safety.
These results were arbitrated by international experts for its publication, a process that is carried out blindly for the authors, said on Twitter the doctor in Sciences Gerardo Enrique Guillén, director of Biomedical Research of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology of Cuba.
Precisely Abdala, one of the three immunogens created in our country in response to the COVID 19 pandemic, was developed by this outstanding institution which has to its credit, among other drugs, the pentavalent vaccine that protects against five diseases, including Hepatitis.
Abdala was applied, together with Soberana 02 and Soberana Plus, in the massive vaccination campaign against the virus, which allowed to advance in the protection of the population and the control of the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
In addition, it was also applied to the population from two to 18 years of age, given its high safety, since only mainly local, light and transitory events were registered without any consequences. In fact, Cuba became the first country in the world to immunize this segment of the population with the three Immunos.
It is worth mentioning that the vaccination campaign reduced the vulnerability of children to the disease caused by the new coronavirus, reduced the number of cases and made it possible that since last year there have been no deaths due to COVID 19 in these age groups.
The efficacy of Abdala is also highlighted by other countries, such as Mexico, which rated it as very good, both in adult and infant formats.
The first anti-COVID 19 vaccine in Latin America and the Caribbean has also been used in other countries such as Nicaragua and Venezuela, a sign of confidence in the development of science in the Caribbean country.
In view of the proven efficacy of its Immunos, Cuba did not hesitate to provide them to other territories, as well as the technology to produce them, as a way of contributing to the control of the virus worldwide.
The effort deployed by the scientific community was immense, given the obstacles imposed by the U.S. blockade, reinforced in addition, in the midst of the world sanitary emergency. But the high level of preparation, abnegation, sacrifice and commitment to life of our scientists made possible the creation of Abdala and the Soberanas.
