Last October 20, the first shipment of 1.2 million doses of Abdala and Soberana 02 arrived in the Central American country.
Dr. Martha Reyes, Minister of Health, and the Cuban Ambassador to Nicaragua, Juan Carlos Hernández, received this first shipment at the Augusto C. Sandino International Airport, one of the three planned before the end of the year, to total the seven million doses agreed upon, which will allow the expansion of free and voluntary vaccination in 1,500 vaccination posts distributed throughout Nicaragua.
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At the beginning of this month, the Health Regulation Authority of the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health (Minsa) authorized the emergency use of the Cuban vaccines Soberana, whose manufacturer is the Finlay Vaccine Institute (IFV), and Abdala, from the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB).
Upon receiving the shipment on October 20, Nicaragua's Minister of Health stated that this batch would contribute to protecting a group of children, "which is a dream come true" since just 70% of the 18+ age group was initially programmed to be reached.
"Nicaragua starts today anti-COVID-19 vaccination of its pediatric population with the Cuban immunogens #Abdala and #Soberana02. The Cuban regulatory authority issued the Emergency Use Certification to the Cuban vaccines at the beginning of October."
Abdala, the first COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by a laboratory in a Latin American and Caribbean country, is 92% effective against the symptomatic disease, and 100% effective in preventing severe systemic illness and death in those vaccinated.
The combination of Soberana 02 and a booster dose of Soberana Plus similarly showed 91.2% efficacy in preventing symptomatic disease.