YEAR XI NO 3 MAR 5, 2021 HAVANA, CUBA ISSN 2224-5707 Price: 1.00 USD / 1.20 CAN Sovereign for All P. 3 Tourism Cuba USA-Cuba Cayo Santa Maria, Havana Loves Peace Sonic Attacks? a Beach Paradise Come On! P.2 P.4 P.5 2 TOURISM Cayo Santa Maria Beaches, the World's 2nd Best By TinoMANUEL Playa Norte(Isla Mujeres, Mexico), Seven Mile (Grand Cayman), Bávaro (Dominican Republic), Bournemouth (United Kingdom), HAVANA.- Located on the central-northern Balos (Greece), Manuel Antonio (Costa Rica), coast of Cuba, the beaches of Cayo Santa Nungwi (Tanzania), Elafonissi (Greece) and Maria (Santa Maria Key) were listed the Santa Giulia (France) complete the list. second best in the world by TripAdvisor, an North of the central Cuban Province of Villa online travel research company. Clara, Cayo Santa Maria currently has 12,900 Varadero (western region), one of the hotel rooms, plus 883 in close by cities and island's most popular beaches and worldly nature destinations. renowned as well, is also included on that Santa Maria is a small, long islands of white list, ranking 12th place. sand and crystal-clear waters, something The famous tourism website published its that also characterizes not less famous keys Traveler’s Choice 2021 Awards, dedicated in the vicinity such as Ensenachos and Las to the top 25 beaches in the world, naming Brujas. Santa Maria and Varadero among them. The best way to get there is crossing a Australia’s Whitehaven Beach (Whitsunday 48-km-long causeway that Cubans call Island) tops the list, which also includes Pedraplen, which links Caibarien town, in Fernando de Noronha (Brazil), Crace Bay northern Villa Clara, with the key. (Turks and Caicos Islands), Saint Pete (Florida, Known as the White Rose of Jardines del USA), Turquoise Bay (Australia), Eagle Beach Rey archipelago, Key Santa Maria is 13 (Aruba), and Spiaggia dei Conigli (Italy). kilometer long by two kilometer wide. Other awards went to Ka´anapali (Hawaii), It’s considered the most important of Baia dos Golfinhos (Brazil), Playa de Cofete that geographic group, with 18 square (Spain), Praia da Falesia Olhos de Agua kilometers. (Portugal), Maho Bay Beach (Saint Martin), Its beach area comprises eleven kilometers, Cruz Bay, Seven Mile (Jamaica) and La featuring Perla Blanca, Las Caletas, Cañón Concha (Spain). and Cuatro Punta Beaches. PHOTOS: Prensa Latina. SOCIETY.HEALTH & SCIENCE.POLITICS.CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT.PHOTO FEATURE.ECONOMY SPORTS.AND MORE President: Luis Enrique González. Art Direction: Anathais Rodríguez Printing: Prensa Latina. Information Vice President: Moisés Pérez Mok Graphic Designers: Fernando Fernandez Tito Publisher: Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana, Editorial Vice President: Lianet Arias Chief Graphic Editor: Francisco González Prensa Latina, S.A. Chief Editor: Martin Hacthoun Assistant Staff: Yaimara Portuondo Calle E, esq. 19 No. 454, Vedado, La Habana-4, Cuba. English Editor: Mitra Ghaffari Advertising: René García Telephone: (53)7838-3496 / 7832-3578 Translation: Dayamí Interian/ Yanely Interián Circulation: Commercial Department. Fax: (53)7833-3068 E-mail: [email protected] CUBA-HEALTHCUBA 3 Cuba Vaccines around the Corner By LauraARBESÚ HAVANA.- Two of the four COVID-19 vaccine candidates developed in Cuba are proceeding to the human clinical trial phase III in March, after successfully finishing the first two stages. Sovereign 2 vaccine by Finlay Vaccine Institute (IFV) and Abdala by the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center (CIGB) are about to be ready for distribution, drawing the attention of many countries. The Cuban biopharmaceutical industry is engaging its machinery to produce one million doses monthly, at an estimated rate of 12,000 per hour. Everything is gearing up for large-scale production. The first batch of Sovereign 2 (150,000 doses) was delivered the Scientist checking the quality of antiCovid-19 vaccine at the A volunteer being checked after getting the first days of February, while thousands of others are being Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology of Havana. vaccine in Phase III trials. produced to ensure the amount needed for its clinical trial phase III. objective to meet the needs of the country and of other The two vaccines have successfully progressed through nations interested in the vaccines. two previous trials. For the third phase, 150,000 people Tourists that come to the island and want to be vaccinated are expected to be immunized in Cuba and Iran, while may well do so, announced the directors of BioCubaFarma, Mexico is also in discussion to participate in this final the leading business group of Cuba’s Biopharmaceutical stage. Industry. If all goes as scientists hope for and the vaccines receive The commercialization strategy is a combination of the regulatory approvals, then Cuba can inoculate its kindness and positive impact on world health, he upheld. entire population, foreigners arriving to the island and IFV Director Vicente Vérez provided detailed information begin exports abroad by the year's end. about the immunization program of this vaccine Local health authorities and the scientific community candidate: three doses will be administered for 96 percent stress that Cuba aims to vaccinate most of its population effectiveness. The third shot could be either Sovereign 2 or this year with its own vaccines. A significant number of Sovereign 1, which will act as booster to induce immune the shots that Cubans get right after they are born are response of virus neutralization. “Center of Molecular Immunology of Havana. PHOTOS: Courtesy of ACN. produced domestically as well. The pediatric population will be administered these The Cuban biotech sector makes 11 of the 13 vaccines vaccines as well, with the clinical trial on this population immune systems are exposed to other vaccines that they administered to children on the island and exports group comprising patients between five and 18 years are administered during those stages of life. vaccines to more than 30 countries. old. In the case of the Abdala vaccine, it completed phase II on In the case of Sovereign 2, the first million doses will However, children still on a milk diet and those under volunteers from 18 to 80, and it is entering the third stage be ready by April. According to its producers, it is their five years will not participate in the studies, because their from March until May 2021. SOBERANA 02: A BRIDGE TO LIFE HAVANA.- The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) believes UNIDO emphasizes that, “Cuba has signed a deal to carry out clinical trials in Iran that in the face of current international bickering vaccines, Cuban Covid-19 vaccine in collaboration with the country’s Pasteur Institute, while Jamaica, Vietnam and Soberana 02 (currently in Phase III trials) “can be the lifeline for developing countries.” Venezuela, among others, have expressed interest in obtaining the vaccine once In a detailed article on Cuba's biotechnological development, UNIDO points out it passes the necessary safety and efficacy tests. that, “as international squabbles over fair distribution grow amid charges that Cuba hopes to inoculate its entire population against Covid-19 with the rich countries are hoarding supplies, a successful roll-out of Soberana 02 could domestically developed vaccine this year. provide a potential lifeline to developing countries seeking to immunize their “The fact that the small Caribbean island is ahead of many more developed populations against Covid-19.” countries in the race to find an effective vaccine may seem surprising,” UNIDO Cuba has four candidates: “Soberana 01”, “Soberana 02”, “Abdala” and “Mambisa”. writer Jeremy Larsen underscores; “yet decades of experience and investment in President Miguel Diaz-Canel called the results so far achieved encouraging, after Cuba’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, which in its early stages was scientists working on the projects briefed him on their work. supported by UNIDO and other international organizations, have enabled the The most advanced of the four is Soberana 02. “If it clears this final clinical step, industry to direct resources quickly and efficiently towards emergency vaccine the Cuban vaccine will be the first to be developed in Latin America,” UNIDO development.” acknowledged. He further adds, “Cuba’s success in creating a viable, domestic pharmaceutical The small island has already produced 150,000 doses to complete the Soberana 02 manufacturing industry shows what can be achieved with targeted investment clinical trials, scheduled for this March to May. Tens of thousands of volunteers will be and political will.” immunized twice. So far, two doses of the vaccine, developed by the Havana-based Larsen describes that while organizations such as UNIDO have long argued for Finlay Vaccine Institute IFV, has proved 91.8% effective and after a third shot, 95.7%. greater development of domestic industry in developing countries, the current According to the IFV, 100 million doses could be supplied in 2021 for both crisis has shown more clearly than ever why local research, development and domestic use and international export. production capacities are vital. 4 CUBA Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), held, too, in Havana in January of 2014. On that occasion, then Cuban President Raul Castro clearly stated the island's stance in favor of peaceful coexistence by saying, “peace and stability, the defense of our people’s interests, and the right to sovereignty and self-determination without any foreign interferences, are essential elements for attaining the integration and cooperation goals we are committed to.” In December of that year, the European Union revoked the Common Position policy imposed against Cuba after the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement was signed between the island and the 28-member country block. Since 2016, Havana has become a sort of political bridge, welcoming a number of delegations headed by presidents or prime ministers from all continents. During those official visits they express their readiness to strengthen links with the Cuban government.