Las Tunas.- Sofia and Rodrigo’s eyes light up and although they could be tears of pain from the needle piercing their skin, that’s not the reason. They are very happy and even proud to be among the first children in Las Tunas to receive the booster dose of anti-Covid-19 vaccines. The mother thanks her with a publication on her wall Facebook; Images that show the greatness of Cuban scientists and the efforts of an entire country to keep this disease under control.
Like her, just over 46,830 children in Las Tunas, ages 2 to 11, will benefit from a campaign that began August 8 and will run through August 25.
Yailín Nápoles Noviella, head of the provincial immunization program, explained that after completing the studies on the duration of the immune response in the pediatric population, the country decided to administer the immunogen to this age group.
Here, he said, a Sovereign Plus buff is applied, but Abdala is also available if it’s necessary to use it.
The process is carried out at the level of each of the territory’s 83 people’s councils and they add up to a total of 154 vaccination centers. “Children from 2 to 6 years of the entire People’s Council are vaccinated in 28 day care centers and small children from 7 to 11 years in educational centers.
The expert pointed out that each municipality has planned mobile vaccination clinics in case it becomes difficult to open any of the rural schools.
“Those children who have completed their three-dose schedule can receive the booster when six months have passed since the primary series. Convalescents must also comply with this time as they invest the Sovereign Plus,” he explained.
“Those who became ill after completing their vaccination schedule and were confirmed by a positive PCR will be reinforced six months after the discharge date. However, children with a positive antigen test without PCR confirmation will receive the dose six months after completion of the program, like the rest of the child population.
Napoles Noviella reported that for allergy sufferers there is a formulation of Soberana Plus without Thimerosal that meets the same criteria mentioned above.
Likewise, this meant that infants who, at the time of vaccination, have an acute infectious process (otitis, tonsillitis, dengue fever…), with the exception of Covid-19, will be given this dose 15 days after clinical discharge. “If you have received or are due another vaccine from the country’s routine vaccination schedule, you must wait at least seven days between them.”
Children of Cuban citizens who have arrived in the country and are being immunized with any of the anti-Covid-19 vaccines administered worldwide will receive the booster when six months have passed since the last application.
“Those who are in transit through the province and are enjoying their vacation can get vaccinated at the nearest vaccination center,” he concluded.