Cuba stands apart from most other countries when it comes to vaccine coverage and pandemic outcomes
February 14, 2022
Cuba has been remarkable in many ways. The country produces its own vaccines and has one of the highest vaccine coverage ratios in the world. When it comes to pandemic outcomes, this seems to be paying off.
Cuba’s vaccine landscape
Not only does Cuba stand apart from most countries for being a vaccine manufacturer, the vaccines it produces are not your typical 2-dose regimen. Cuba’s vaccine landscape consists of 1- and, mainly, 3-dose protocols. This is exactly the opposite of the rest of the world, which relies disproportionately on 2-dose protocols.
Cuba currently administers Abdala, Soberana 2 and Soberana Plus. Abdala is a 3-dose protocol, Soberana 2 combined with Soberana Plus is a 3-dose protocol for children, and Soberana Plus stand-alone is a 1-dose protocol for those with prior COVID.
This diversity of protocols matters a great deal as it hugely complicates the comparison of Cuba with the rest of the world. If we were to take data on doses at face value, it would be easy for Cuba to rank favorably since its people need to get more doses to be considered as fully covered (i.e. 3 instead of the typical 2). Conversely, other countries that rely more heavily on 1-dose protocols would compare unfavorably. ...
February 14, 2022
Cuba has been remarkable in many ways. The country produces its own vaccines and has one of the highest vaccine coverage ratios in the world. When it comes to pandemic outcomes, this seems to be paying off.
Cuba’s vaccine landscape
Not only does Cuba stand apart from most countries for being a vaccine manufacturer, the vaccines it produces are not your typical 2-dose regimen. Cuba’s vaccine landscape consists of 1- and, mainly, 3-dose protocols. This is exactly the opposite of the rest of the world, which relies disproportionately on 2-dose protocols.
Cuba currently administers Abdala, Soberana 2 and Soberana Plus. Abdala is a 3-dose protocol, Soberana 2 combined with Soberana Plus is a 3-dose protocol for children, and Soberana Plus stand-alone is a 1-dose protocol for those with prior COVID.
This diversity of protocols matters a great deal as it hugely complicates the comparison of Cuba with the rest of the world. If we were to take data on doses at face value, it would be easy for Cuba to rank favorably since its people need to get more doses to be considered as fully covered (i.e. 3 instead of the typical 2). Conversely, other countries that rely more heavily on 1-dose protocols would compare unfavorably. ...
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