Cuba will begin vaccinating toddlers with COVID-19 vaccine

A nurse takes a girl's blood pressure after giving her a dose of the Cuban-made Soberana-02 vaccine for COVID-19 in Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) (Ramon Espinosa, Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

HAVANA – Cuban health officials will begin COVID-19 vaccination efforts for children as young as two-years-old this month on the island.

According to Cuban health officials, all children aged two to 18 will receive their first dose of either the Soberana 02 or the Abdala vaccine, created by Cuban scientists on the island, during the month of September.

Recommended Videos



Three locally developed vaccines, Soberana 02, Soberana Plus and Abdala, have finished their trial periods and been approved for use by Cuba’s Center for State Control for Drugs, Equipment, and Medical Devices (CECMED).

On Friday, health authorities began vaccinations among older students in 12th grade and in technical schools. Over the weekend, children aged 11 through 18 received the Abdala vaccine.

This comes as students began taking televised classes throughout the island this week.

The communist island also announced plans to reopen borders beginning November 15. Tourists would not be required to take a PCR test to enter the country and vaccine certifications from their respective countries will be recognized.


About the Authors

Veronica Crespo writes for Local10.com and also oversees the Español section of the website. Born and raised in Miami, she graduated from the University of Miami, where she studied broadcast journalism and Spanish.

Recommended Videos