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<font size="1"><a href="https://www.resumen-english.org/2020/12/under-the-radar-and-at-warp-speed-cuba-leads-latin-america-towards-affordable-covid-19-vaccines/">https://www.resumen-english.org/2020/12/under-the-radar-and-at-warp-speed-cuba-leads-latin-america-towards-affordable-covid-19-vaccines/</a>
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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Under the Radar and at Warp Speed Cuba Leads Latin America towards Affordable Covid-19 Vaccines</h1>
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<p>By Mike Ravage on December 15, 2020</p>
<p><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.resumen-english.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12-18-cuba-vac.jpg?ssl=1"><img src="https://i0.wp.com/www.resumen-english.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12-18-cuba-vac.jpg?fit=1024%2C511&ssl=1" alt="" style="margin-right: 0px;" width="408" height="204"></a>Recently Amy Goodman’s “Democracy Now” explored “The Case for People’s Vaccines.”<span id="gmail-more-16252"></span></p>
<p>While those interviewed by Ms. Goodman called for early and
affordable access to inoculations in the Global South, no mention was
made of perhaps the most promising source of such therapies. The
neglected source was not only promising but implicitly revealed the
swindle represented by Big Pharma’s anticipated exorbitant prices for
Covid-19 vaccines.</p>
<p>It may surprise readers to know that the source in question is Cuba.</p>
<p>Cuba’s Achievement</p>
<p>In fact, Cuba is the first nation in Latin America to receive
authorization from the World Health Organization (WHO) to perform
officially sanctioned tests of the four vaccines it now has under
development. Those trials have already completed their clinical stages.
Promising results so far have Cubans looking forward to completing the
(cost free) inoculation of its entire population of 12 million by the
end of March 2021.</p>
<p>The vaccines under trial are named Soberana 01, Soberana 02, Abdala
(CIGB66) and Mambisa (CIGB669). None of them is dependent for its
preservation on super-cold temperatures.</p>
<p>Mambisa is worthy of special note, since as a nasal spray, it
requires no needles, but responds locally to the specifically
respiratory nature of Covid-19.</p>
<p>Failure to report such developments even on “Democracy Now”
illustrates the complicity of our mainstream media in shunning any news
from socialist nations like Cuba that might possibly illustrate the
superior ability of their economies to deliver high quality, no-cost
healthcare to citizens even during a worldwide pandemic. Moreover,
absent the profit motive, Cuba will predictably deliver its vaccines to
its neighbors at vastly cheaper prices than its capitalist counterparts.</p>
<p>Cuba’s Vaccine History</p>
<p>This prediction is based on the fact that Cuba has long been a
supplier of vaccines and doctors not only to the Global South, but to
countries such as Italy during the height of Covid-19’s first wave.
Additionally, with its unequaled ratio of doctors to citizens, the
island nation’s response to the pandemic has effectively limited
documented coronavirus infections despite supply problems caused by the
continued U.S. embargo of the island.</p>
<p>All four developments (the superabundance of doctors, the relative
control of Covid-19, Cuba’s research capacities, and the export of
medical care to other countries) result from the foresight and vision of
Fidel Castro, the revered father of his country. In the early 1980s he
sparked initiation of a vigorous homegrown biotech sector – largely to
cope with the U.S. embargo’s persistent attempts to deprive the island
of medical supplies.</p>
<p>The result was the emergence of 20 research centers and 32 companies
employing 20,000 people under the umbrella of the state-run BioCubaFarma
Corporation. Recently, spokespersons connected with the corporation
tweeted, “The #CubanVaccineCOVID19 is dedicated to the sower of dreams:
Fidel. Our tribute to the one who believed in the strength and future of
#CubanScience.”</p>
<p>BioCubaFarma produces 8 of the 12 vaccines Cuba uses to immunize its
own population against diseases such as measles and polio. Cuba has also
exported hundreds of millions of vaccine doses to more than 40
countries (e.g. to deal with meningitis and hepatitis B).</p>
<p>All of this represents just one more illustration of socialism’s
comparative efficiency in the face of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even a poor blockaded country like Cuba can respond to an unprecedented
crisis such as the coronavirus without holding sick people hostage to
the confiscatory demands of privatized natural monopolies like Big
Pharma. The latter’s claims to mammoth profits based upon (largely
government-funded) costly research are simply ideological cover for
overweening corporate greed that none of us should stand for.</p>
<p>People’s vaccines can be produced at warp speed and at low cost – despite news blackouts even on “Democracy Now.”</p>
<p>Source: <a href="https://mikerivageseul.wordpress.com/2020/12/15/under-the-radar-and-at-warp-speed-cuba-leads-latin-america-towards-affordable-covid-19-vaccines/">Mike Rivage- Seul blog</a></p>
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