Mexico health council approves Cuban Abdala vaccine for emergency use

Mexico health authorities have approved to use Cuban home-grown COVID-19 Abdala vaccine. The Mexican health safety council announced on Wednesday, citing enough evidence shows the Cuban vaccine is effective and safe.  

Abdala COVID vaccine is used domestically by Cuban health officials. Cuba started commercial export of the three-dose vaccine to Vietnam and Venezuela.  

Although this approval for emergency use does not mean the Mexican government will obtain or administer the Cuban COVID-19 vaccines in Mexico. 

So far, the Mexican health council has approved 10 COVID vaccines but made very little use of them, including the Sinopharm. If Mexico buys the vaccines from the Cuban government, it will eventually assist the Caribbean island in reviving its economy. 

Cuba was the first nation in the world, who start vaccinating toddlers against the deadly viral disease. 

Read here more about the Abdala vaccine – 

Abdala, with the technological name of CIGB-66, is a vaccine developed by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Cuba. 

The name of the vaccine has been kept after a patriotic drama by Cuban independence hero José Martí. 

Abdala is a protein subunit vaccine containing COVID-derived proteins that trigger an immune reaction. The total outcomes of the clinical trial have not yet been publicised. 

The vaccine is dispensed in 3 doses with the difference of two weeks. The vaccine is permitted for emergency use. 

This year in June, the Cuban Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology did research on around 48,290 participants. The results revealed that the Abdala vaccine has an efficacy rate of 92.28%.  

Reports were that Venezuela was in talks with the Cuban government about manufacturing the Abdala vaccine. 

Scientists of Cuba developed four vaccines against the COVID-19 virus, including Soberana 2, Soberana Plus and Abdala. 

Around 92% of the Cuban population is partially vaccinated, while 85% are fully inoculated. About 12.8% of the islands’ population has received its booster shots to date.