Executives and scientists from the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center (CIGB), which developed the vaccine, noted that they already have the data from Abdala’s third phase of clinical trial with excellent results, and they are now scaling up to an effectiveness study with over 300,000 people.

The product had already demonstrated 92.28 percent efficacy against symptomatic Covid-19 and last week received approval from Cuba’s regulatory authority for its emergency use.

Those requirements make it possible to use the vaccine massively in the national territory, and its commercialization to other nations while the sanitary emergency is maintained.

The first and second phases of clinical trials on the vaccine started on Thursday on children, under the name of Ismaelillo, to assess its safety and immunogenicity in this age group.

Those trials will be carried out in the province of Camaguey and will initially involve volunteers from 18 to 12 years of age. It will later involve children aged three to 12.

With 26.83 percent of people with at least the first dose of some vaccine candidates against Covid-19, Cuba currently exceeds the world average (25.8 percent) of vaccinated population.

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