Cuba Vaccinating Children as Young as 2 Against Covid

Old Havana, La Habana Vieja

Health officials in Cuba have begun to inoculate children as young as two years old for the coronavirus, state media reported.

The move, which is part of an attempt to get kids back into the classroom, is using the country’s locally-developed Soberana-02 vaccine, and the country may be the first to give Covid vaccines to toddlers.

All children will receive two doses of the Soberana-02 vaccine, according to Cuba’s state-run Cubadebate news outlet.  The vaccine, while not recognized by the World Health Organization, has been shown to have an efficacy rate of more than 90% in studies there.

In-school instruction on the island nation has been largely suspended during the pandemic.  As a substitute, children watch hours of educational television at home.   Few homes have Internet access and there are no virtual classrooms.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)