MADRID, Spain. – “We are already elaborating specific vaccines. If it becomes necessary, we’ll develop them in a short time.” That is what the president of BioCubaFarma, Eduardo Martínez Díaz published on his Twitter account this Tuesday, regarding the recent surge of the new SARS-COV-2, Omicron.
“We are keeping a close watch on reports about the behavior of the new variant,” the physician added.
During the airing of the official news program Mesa Redonda that very day, researchers from the Finlay Vaccines Institute (IFV, by its Spanish acronym) announced that “since last week, we have started to elaborate a variation of the Soberana Plus vaccine, being in possession of RBD Omicron protein which is being built at this moment.”
“The vaccines that have been administered will offer a certain level of protection, exactly what level is yet unknown, in light of the new variant,” whose rate of transmission is not clear, according to Vicente Vérez, director of that scientific center.
They also indicated that they are “reviewing for publication five papers about the science behind the Cuban vaccines.”
As is the case with the other vaccines produced in the island –Abdala, Soberana 02 and Soberana Plus- that formula has not been authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Cuban government’s announcement comes at a time when very little is known about the variant. According to the WHO, “it will take them a few weeks to fully understand the impact of Omicron.”
No cases of Omicron contagion have been detected in Cuba, although this Tuesday, a Cuban national traveling from South Africa was diagnosed positive for COVID-19.
After the world learnt about the existence of Omicron in South Africa, Cuban authorities announced health measures that will come into effect on December 4th for any travelers arriving in Cuba from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Malawi and Eswatini.
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