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Havana, Feb 28 (Prensa Latina) A Cuban vaccine protecting children against four diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, and hepatitis B will be used for the first time when the National Immunization Program kicks off on Tuesday. The highly efficient vaccine, which reduces the number of shots and attendance to vaccination centers, is the result of a joint work between the Finlay Institute and the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center. Professor Miguel Galindo, head of the Public Health Ministry´s National Vaccination Program, pointed out all children born from last January on, except those whose mothers are infected with hepatitis B, will be immunize with the new vaccine. Children from mothers carrying hepatitis B be vaccinated against the same diseases but under another plan. The new generation vaccine has 95 percent efficiency against diphtheria and tetanus, 80 percent against whooping cough, and 98 percent against hepatitis B. Cuban researches are currently working in the creation of another vaccine fighting five diseases. |
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