Iran, Cuba Vaccine offers highest immunity in the world

A COVID-19 vaccine produced jointly by Cuba and Iran has been proven to be one of the world's safest vaccines with the highest immunity rate.

Head of Iran's Pasteur Institute says the vaccine known PastoCoVac in Iran vaccine is also one of the most secure vaccines available for children.

Speaking at the press conference on the latest of Iran-Cuba joint produced COVID vaccine held on Saturday at Iran Health Ministry, Alireza Biglari stated that while Delta variant has threatened immunity, and all COVID vaccines effectiveness has fallen to 50 present and even less, like Pfizer, PastoCoVac has proven as the safest with the highest immunity rate vaccine in the world.

Biglari announced that the Tehran-Havana-produced COVID-19 vaccine is highly safe and secure.

"In a joint cooperation with the Cuban Finlay Institute, a COVID vaccine was produced which is 91-92 percent safe, and the expansion of cooperation in the future will continue," he said.

Manufactured by Cuba's Finlay Vaccine Institute and Pasteur Institute of Iran, the vaccine is combined with two injectable doses.

The two first phases of the human trial have been conducted in Cuba on 44,000 people, while the third phase was performed on 24,000 Iranian volunteers aging over 18 across the country.

"The vaccine known as Soberana 2 in Cuba and PastoCoVac in Iran, is one of the most secure vaccines available for children (3-18 years)," Biglari said.

"As a recombinant vaccine, PastoCoVac is highly resistive and combats Delta and S-African variants, or any other possible variants, and efforts are made to get WHO license soon," he added.

"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," head of Iran Pasteur Institute pointed.

"Fortunately, PastoCoVac will be mass produced and available to all and right now it is produced one million doses per week," he said.

The biotech sector in both Iran and Cuba has a long history of vaccine development, producing most of the vaccines used in these two countries and exporting some of them.