Director of Iran Pasteur Institute said in the wake of reopening of schools that Iran-Cuba joint COVID-19 vaccine has successfully passed clinical test on children in Cuba and could be administered to children in Iran, too.
The vaccine known as Soberana 2 in Cuba and PastoCoVac in Iran has been jointly developed by Cuba’s Finlay Institute and Iran Pasteur Institute.
Dr. Alireza Beiglari, Director of Iran Pasteur Institute, said in an interview with IRNA on Wednesday that PastoCoVac was one of the most secure vaccines available to administer to children.
The beginning of the school year in Iran is close and education centers, including schools and universities, are going to reopen later in September. However, this might be delayed by one month, because of the new surge in coronavirus cases and deaths in Iran.
Biglari said that children had not been included in prioritized age groups to receive vaccines, but they would be in the list as Iran has gained greater access to new sources of vaccine in recent days.
The required studies have been done on Soberana 2 coronavirus vaccine in Cuba and it has received emergency use license in that country, according to Dr. Biglari.
He added that Iran’s Health Ministry could use this vaccine for children, because PastoCoVac was highly available and among the most viable vaccines for children.
Studies have shown that PastoCoVac should be followed by a booster jab for the adolescent, but this third shot wasn’t required in children as they reached favorable level of immunity by two doses, Biglari noted.
Source: Iranian media
