After the progress of Cuba´s anti-Covid-19 immunization campaign, as part of the research of vaccine candidates developed in the country, several mothers have envisaged giving up breastfeeding and receiving the Covid-19 vaccine dose, according to information disclosed by the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP).

So far, Cuban candidate studies do not include pregnant women, postpartum women, or breastfeeding mothers, as there is still not enough evidence of their safety for this risk group.

World Health Organization (WHO) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Cuban specialists, however, laid stress on the significance of breastfeeding, and even recommend not separating the mother from her newborn baby in cases they contract the disease.

‘Breast milk is not a way of coronavirus transmission,’ said Dr. Pablo Roque, National Coordinator of Breastfeeding Program and Human Milk Banks of Mother and Child HealthCare Program.

Roque claimed that whether vaccination protects us, not breastfeeding puts the baby at a disadvantage by being infected with Covid-19 or other diseases.

In this regard, Roque called for keeping the recommended hygienic-sanitary measures such as social distancing, use of face mask, hand-washing before and after handling the baby, disinfection of all surfaces and frequently used objects, in order to avoid possible contagion.

Cuban specialists assured that breast milk is a source of biological substances that directly influence newborn babies´ development of different organs and systems.

In addition, breast milk influence on maduration of immune system, protection from infections and prevention of immunoallergic diseases such as asthma, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, diabetes mellitus types-1 and some cancer is pivotal.

pgh/Pll/msm / rbp