My children know that trials of one of the Cuban vaccines against COVID-19 in pediatric age kicked off already. They debate about it among themselves. And I just listen to them while writing down trivial things and they, as usual, teach me life lessons.

They agree on something: they are eager to get vaccinated. Their motivations are different: he just wants to play outside and have no worries. She only wants to get back to school.

And what about Naná? A little two-years old cousin who live in Matanzas. And Marcela? Who is only a few months-old. My wise kids are clear about that: None of them will get vaccinated as they are too young. But adults are already immunized. Once they are safe from coronavirus, the babies should not get sick because “once immunized, we are protecting them,” they concluded.

He is somewhat scared because of his allergy. She says his allergies have nothing to do because he is not allergic to Timerosal, nor is he in the middle of a “crisis.” Anyway, the doctors will ask everything to mom. He is looking more confident now. He has reasons, do you know how many vaccines I have gotten since the day I was born and nothing has happened to me? She knows. She has experienced first-hand.

Mom, when is it our turn? They were getting too long to include me in the debate. I do not know exactly. But I trust it is going to be soon. I show them a post in Facebook on children who are involved in the clinical trials carried out at the Juan Manuel Márquez Hospital. I read that extract from the press release when it is described how children are welcomed by clowns and are surrounded by joy to relieve stress, which is normal.

I ask them if they are afraid of the shot. They swear they do not although I know they do. They insist: Mom, are you going to let us get vaccinated when they decide it is our turn, right? Of course. I am pretty certain that children are the greatest treasure in Cuba. But my motivational speech halted there as they know everything: we are the hope, mom, the most sacred of all things.

I can only agree with them. I show them every mark on my shoulder. I can only confirm to them that since they were born the government guarantee a full vaccination program for them, which includes 12 vaccines, most of them produced and created here in Cuba. I cannot avoid talking about Fidel and his love for children and his blind faith in the Cuban science. Then, we all agree on something else: we have faith in the Cuban science.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff