By Dr. Jennifer Ruth Hosek, Queen’s University Ontario — The Conversation Canada — 16 March 2021
Cuba’s “people over profit” approach to COVID-19 has been saving lives both on the island and abroad. Its Henry Reeve Medical Brigade has been fighting the pandemic in at least 37 countries and been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Cuba is the only Latin American country besides Brazil with the capacity to manufacture a vaccine domestically, and is running Phase 3 trials of its Soberana 2 and Abdala candidates while simultaneously ramping up production. Cuba’s success is grounded in near-universal healthcare, high scientific literacy, and transparent public-service media messaging. Daily televised briefings by the national epidemiology director have become an authoritative source of information trusted by the public.