Equity in the Cuban Policy Response Against the Pandemic

Since the initial case of SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported on March 11, 2020, the Ministry of Health in the Republic of Cuba diligently created and adhered to a comprehensive set of guidelines to combat the pandemic. These measures span a wide spectrum of actions, commencing with preventive measures in the community, creating isolation centres, and community-based surveillance and follow-up procedures for recovered patients. Initially, the implementation of lockdowns, curfews, and travel restrictions served as primary strategies to mitigate the influx of cases, but it inadvertently placed a significant burden on Cuba’s delicate economy, which heavily relies on tourism. In response to this economic burden, Cuba embarked on an ambitious journey to develop and manufacture its own vaccines which included five key vaccine candidates—Abdala, Soberana 01, Soberana 02, Soberana Plus, and Mambisa. Cuba also created a significant milestone in May 2021 with the introduction of a sanitary intervention programme, which enabled Cuba to attain a remarkable vaccination rate of over 90% among its population. In a show of international solidarity, the Cuban government organized the dispatch of the Henry Reeve Brigade to aid countries grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. Two notable achievements emerged because of this vaccination programme: the continued sustenance of the tourism industry and the resumption of in-person schooling. These developments signal a newfound sense of normalcy for Cuban society.