Mexico approves emergency use of Cuba’s Abdala Vaccine

Mexico’s health safety council, the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) has approved the emergency use of Cuba’s Abdala vaccine.

The three-dose Abdala vaccine is the first COVID vaccine of Latin American origin to be evaluated by the organization.

Cuba’s Abdala vaccine is one of the five vaccines developed against the coronavirus which include the Abdala, Soberana 01, Soberana 02, Soberana Plus, and Mambisa. The Abdala, Soberana 02 and Soberana Plus were approved for use in Cuba.

Abdala is an antigen made by genetic engineering with the recombinant protein of the receptor-binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Abdala was developed by scientists at the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. It has an efficacy of 92.8 percent against COVID-19.

The vaccines are currently under review by the World Health Organization in order to be included in its list of emergency use.

According to La Jornada, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed the existence of an agreement to purchase vaccines developed in Cuba. The agreement is a part of Mexico’s collaboration with Cuba.

Cuba has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world with over 90 percent of the population vaccinated at this point.

Venezuela and Vietnam currently import the Abdala vaccine.