Cuban COVID-19 Vaccines for Children: Rinaldo Puga MD MS Principal Investigator, Pediatric Clinical Trials for Soberana 02 and Soberana Plus

Abstract

Cuba's decision in September 2021 to launch a massive vaccination campaign against COVID-19 for children as young as two years old turned heads around the world-of clinicians, immunologists, public health experts, governments and regulatory authorities alike. Since then-and just as pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations reached record numbers globally-some two million Cuban children and adolescents have received the Cuban Soberana vaccines (1.7 million, or 81.3% of that population through December 16, 2021).[1] Why did Cuban health authorities decide to vaccinate children? What clinical trials provided the evidence for such a course of action, especially for the youngest? And what have been the results thus far? To answer these and other questions, MEDICC Review spoke with Dr Rinaldo Puga, principal investigator for the completed phase 1/2 clinical trials of the Finlay Vaccine Institute's Soberana 02 and Soberana Plus vaccines in pediatric ages. Dr Puga's 30 years as a practicing pediatrician have been accompanied by teaching and research, the latter earning him awards from the Cuban Academy of Sciences, among others. He is currently chief of pediatrics and chair of the Scientific Council at the Cira García Clinic in Havana, which granted him leave to lead the pediatric vaccine trials.