Pediatric Vaccination, Good News in the Making

At Abel Santamaría Cuadrado primary school, in Havana, the first dose of the Cuban vaccine against Covid 19, Soberana 02, was administered to students only those who suffered from the disease at some point in these almost two years of pandemic were left out, says the director of the center, Yoel Díaz Temprano.

After an hour of observation in the vaccination center set up at the school, no adverse reaction was reported, explained Professor Yoel, who affirms that they are all prepared to face the following challenge: the second dose scheduled for the first half of October.

The best news in recent days was read in our media under different names, with different faces in the photos or videos, with scenarios throughout the island, and that is precisely what makes it greater, more encouraging: Cuba has already vaccinated the vast majority of its children with its own (sovereign) and absolutely safe drug.

The impressions of Amada Ramos, a fourth grade teacher, are multiplied among thousands of teachers throughout the country: "I’m happy because it’s a step forward knowing that my students already have the first dose and soon, when they finish all three, we will be able to restart the academic course keeping the hygienic measures. These first days of vaccination left a very positive impression on me, it was an atmosphere of celebration, joy, parents and students happy to start immunization and, above all, very safe and confident ".

Another important element it’s that will only meet its goal when the last of our children is immunized against Covid-19, this hasn’t been an individual effort, but a collective one. The strength of a country has certainly manifested itself.

The fact that most of the spaces chosen for childhood vaccination were precisely schools and nursery homes gave moving examples of that truth and also, according to the psychopedagogue Norma de la Caridad Suárez Suárez, who was also part of the process in Abel Santamaría it was a very good strategy, "because children and adolescents went to their school environment, they returned to see their teachers, all those who work with them and most importantly they met.

"On the day of the vaccination, an immense joy was reflected on the children's faces, they were happy about that reunion with their friends. In addition to the vaccination, it was very important for them to see each other again. I watched them closely and I saw how happy they were. Sure, they know what the vaccination process means for their health, but above that, I think it meant a lot to interact with their friends, tell each other things. Imagine we had to watch over them at the observation room because chairs were set meeting the social distancing and they moved them and formed circles to talk ... They were very excited and very happy.

From her point of view as a specialist, Norma was struck by a detail which she never misses the chance to alert: "all children walked with a tablet or a cell phone, we have to work very hard now when this happens. First of all, I told them that it was not allowed to come to school with those devices when classes start, that is a complementary thing to look for information or to develop computer skills, but they cannot be dependent on them. In our country that’s not the case. "

In summary, these first days of vaccination went by between: "love, because they showed the love they felt for each other; euphoria, because they were jumping, showing affection, surprise when they met. Parents also felt gratitude and trust in Cuban medicine. The families seemed calmed, safe, trusting, and they were all very interested in seeing the process unfold in the best possible way.

"It makes children feel safer, more confident, they will have fewer fears because they know that they are protected by this vaccine, that they will not get sick so easily. For me it’s very important from a psychological point of view, because at homes it’s undeniable that much has been said about the issue of Covid and they have had manifestations of insecurity, sadness, fear and all these things will change with the vaccination", predicts the teacher Norma and she doesn’t refer only to children at schools, but those of all Cuba, the country that has begun to build a happy piece of news, made by hand and with a lot of heart.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff