The republic of Cuba is set to go down in history as the world’s smallest country to develop its own COVID-19 vaccine.
The Cuban medical science and biotechnology (biotech) had developed five vaccine candidates, however, two are in a late-stage trial. The two vaccines candidate are named “Soberana 2”, and “Abdala”.
However, the success of the vaccines are subject to the approval of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Should the trial of the vaccines be successful, Cuba who has a population of 11 milion will join the United States (U.S.), United Kingdom (UK), China, Russia and India, who have developed COVID-19 vaccines.
The Moderna vaccine was developed by US; the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was developed by the UK; the Sputnik V vaccine was developed by Russia; the Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines were developed by China, while the Covaxin vaccine was developed by India.
This achievement is coming as Cuba’s economic crisis is so severe, following shortages of essential goods such as rice and paracetamol. However, the development may be a huge success for the country, as it will boast their public reputation.
The vaccine could also play a huge role in the economy of Cuba, as many countries would seek to procure vaccines from the country, which will in turn generate income for the country.
According to the health officials of Cuba, the vaccines are cheap and easy to store. The vaccines are said to be able to last at room temperature for weeks and in long-term storage as high as 46.4 degrees.
