<p>Cuba on Monday became the first country in the world to vaccinate children from the age of two against Covid-19, using home-grown jabs not recognised by the World Health Organization.</p>.<p>The communist island of 11.2 million people aims to inoculate all its children before reopening schools that have been closed for the most part since March 2020.</p>.<p>The new school year started on Monday, but from home via television programs, as most Cuban homes do not have internet access.</p>.<p>Having completed clinical trials on minors with its Abdala and Soberana vaccines, Cuba kicked off its inoculation campaign for children on Friday, starting with those 12 and older.</p>.<p>On Monday, it started distributing jabs in the 2-11 age group in the central province of Cienfuegos.</p>.<p>Several other countries in the world are vaccinating children from the age of 12, and some are conducting trials in younger kids.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/chilean-health-regulator-approves-coronavac-use-among-children-over-age-6-1027827.html" target="_blank">Read | Chilean health regulator approves CoronaVac use among children over age 6</a></strong></p>.<p>Countries such as China, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela have announced they plan to vaccinate younger children, but Cuba is the first to do so.</p>.<p>Chile on Monday approved the Chinese Sinovac vaccines for children between six and 12.</p>.<p>The Cuban vaccines, the first developed in Latin America, have not undergone international, scientific peer review.</p>.<p>They are based on recombinant protein technology -- the same used by the United States' Novavax and France's Sanofi jabs also awaiting WHO approval.</p>.<p>Unlike many other shots in use, recombinant vaccines do not require extreme refrigeration.</p>.<p>The majority of schools in Cuba have been closed since March 2020, reopening for a few weeks at the end of last year before closing again in January.</p>.<p>The government has announced schools will reopen gradually, in October and November, but only after all children have been vaccinated.</p>.<p>UN agency UNICEF has called for schools worldwide to reopen as soon as possible, as "the long-term costs of closures are too high and hard to justify."</p>.<p>Cuba has seen an explosion in coronavirus infections in recent months, putting pressure on its health system.</p>.<p>Of the 5,700 coronavirus deaths recorded since the outbreak started, nearly half were in the last month alone, as were almost a third of all reported cases.</p>
<p>Cuba on Monday became the first country in the world to vaccinate children from the age of two against Covid-19, using home-grown jabs not recognised by the World Health Organization.</p>.<p>The communist island of 11.2 million people aims to inoculate all its children before reopening schools that have been closed for the most part since March 2020.</p>.<p>The new school year started on Monday, but from home via television programs, as most Cuban homes do not have internet access.</p>.<p>Having completed clinical trials on minors with its Abdala and Soberana vaccines, Cuba kicked off its inoculation campaign for children on Friday, starting with those 12 and older.</p>.<p>On Monday, it started distributing jabs in the 2-11 age group in the central province of Cienfuegos.</p>.<p>Several other countries in the world are vaccinating children from the age of 12, and some are conducting trials in younger kids.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/chilean-health-regulator-approves-coronavac-use-among-children-over-age-6-1027827.html" target="_blank">Read | Chilean health regulator approves CoronaVac use among children over age 6</a></strong></p>.<p>Countries such as China, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela have announced they plan to vaccinate younger children, but Cuba is the first to do so.</p>.<p>Chile on Monday approved the Chinese Sinovac vaccines for children between six and 12.</p>.<p>The Cuban vaccines, the first developed in Latin America, have not undergone international, scientific peer review.</p>.<p>They are based on recombinant protein technology -- the same used by the United States' Novavax and France's Sanofi jabs also awaiting WHO approval.</p>.<p>Unlike many other shots in use, recombinant vaccines do not require extreme refrigeration.</p>.<p>The majority of schools in Cuba have been closed since March 2020, reopening for a few weeks at the end of last year before closing again in January.</p>.<p>The government has announced schools will reopen gradually, in October and November, but only after all children have been vaccinated.</p>.<p>UN agency UNICEF has called for schools worldwide to reopen as soon as possible, as "the long-term costs of closures are too high and hard to justify."</p>.<p>Cuba has seen an explosion in coronavirus infections in recent months, putting pressure on its health system.</p>.<p>Of the 5,700 coronavirus deaths recorded since the outbreak started, nearly half were in the last month alone, as were almost a third of all reported cases.</p>