We have a reserve of beds, 23 Molecular Biology laboratories to carry out PCR tests in real time and we can assimilate the new cases in our health facilities, the health centers have not collapsed, Health Minister Jose Angel Portal said.

It is necessary not to lose the perception of risk, and we are obliged to reduce Covid-19 cases in Cuba, given the high figures, because otherwise, such a situation would spoil the efforts made in the fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, Portal pointed out.

The minister urged not to lose self-responsibility and clarified that participating in the clinical trials with the vaccine candidates is not a reason to not complying with the hygienic-sanitary measures, physical distancing and wearing facemasks.

Maria Guadalupe Guzman, director of research at the Pedro Kouri Tropical Medicine Institute (IPK), explained that there are variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus of public health interest and concern.

Cuba maintains the genomic surveillance, since it is of great interest to the country, where five mutations are currently circulating, with highest incidence the D614G variant, and a gradual increase in those reported in South Africa and California, in the United States.

Guzman explained that only three cases were detected with the variant registered in the United Kingdom.

Regarding the effectiveness of vaccines to fight the new variants, Eduardo Martinez, director of the Entrepreneurial Group of the Biotechnological and Pharmaceutical Industries of Cuba (BioCubafarma), explained that the vaccines used globally so far have given results.

In the case of the Cuban vaccine candidates, a third dose will be used to reinforce the immunity of the population, Martinez said.

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