Havana expects to complete immunization against COVID-19 this month

HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 16 (ACN) The immunization against COVID-19 with the Abdala vaccine, developed by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB by its Spanish acronym), is expected to be completed later this month in Havana, said Dr. Marta Ayala Avila, director of that institution.

In a press conference, the director explained that a study on the effectiveness of the immunogen has begun, where data is being collected from more than 300,000 people from all the capital's municipalities.

She specified that since the same strains of the virus are currently circulating in Havana when the effectiveness of the formulation was evaluated, the effectiveness in this province should be similar to that value.

The effectiveness will also be measured in the localities of Cardenas and Colon, Matanzas (western Cuba), as well as in the provincial capital, Ayala Avila added.

Regarding the variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in the country, the specialist said that they have been studied at laboratory level, from which it was corroborated that the Delta strain is the most contagious, but the vaccines can neutralize it.

However, the director of the CIGB insisted on the importance of maintaining safety measures to prevent infection with this virus, which causes COVID-19, and to follow the medical protocol during vaccination.

It is necessary to complete the three doses of the immunogen, since 14 days or more after the last dose is when it begins to be expressed in the immune system and the organism is in better conditions to avoid getting sick or becoming serious, but the vaccine does not prevent contagion.

The doctor ratified that prevention is the best antidote against SARS-CoV-2, and called to act responsibly "to take care of ourselves and watch over the health of our family members, especially the most vulnerable groups".