Sovereign Pediatrics: The Happy Day that has Come

It’s an infallible and constant formula: when we manage to tuck them in winter, prevent them from falling off the bike or break a fever, every time we feel they are safe, we are happy. This is the job of being mothers (and fathers).

That explains the joy and relief we feel these days, when we finally see that little light at the end of the tunnel that arrives with a powerful and free name: Sovereign. Vaccination of the pediatric population is already a fact in Cuba. Another victory for the small and blocked island in this global battle against the pandemic: the first childhood vaccination campaign against Covid 19 has already started.

Holidays are over at the Arístides Viera high school in Playa municipality. More than a week ago he woke up there in a different bustle than usual, but no less useful, savior. In addition to its own students, the center receives students from the provincial or national schools of art and sports who live in that municipality.

The spacious classrooms and a large campus help to ensure distance, although a true guarantee is the organization, and efficiency of the personnel, both in education and in health, to distribute to parents and adolescents, establish the algorithm of attention without margin of violation in any step, perform each task efficiently and courteously.

The vaccine doesn’t hurt, a group of boys and girls from the Manuel Saumel elementary music school tell me, who are now ready for the second dose 28 days from today. They are happy and confident, "eager" to return to what the epidemic took from them: the instrument, their friends, afternoons piano lessons playing Van Van orchestra songs even though they are not in the curriculum, their teachers ... anyway life as it is.

But if they are happy, what can I tell them about their families? Paola Sofía's mother confessed to me: "I’m personally very happy that the children have already been vaccinated. I hope, I have many expectations, I hope that the vaccine will be effective, as it has been with us, despite of everything we have been through. I have faith that the vaccine is effective so that children can go back to schools, have a normal life, because they are stuck at home and that generates a lot of stress, so I’m very happy."

The future pianist Paola would already be starting high school, if it weren't for the adjustments that the pandemic has forced on to us, she would coincide in time with her schoolmate Vanessa, who would have already completed the first yeat of high school and the fifth year of cello... everything would be different ... but at last it seems that everything is going back to normal, this is how Vanessa's mother feels:

"I am very happy, because this is a huge step forward. With the vaccine, children will be much healthier. This will be very effective, because some might get sick, but it will not be as before. Many children got seriously ill. Thanks to the vaccine, we will overcome this, some may have a mild illness, but they will be much better. With the vaccine they will be able to resume classes, they need this atmosphere of happiness in their classrooms ... "

For scientists and health personnel who have made this happy day possible, she has a message of infinite gratitude:

"There are no words to express all the effort they have shown, because it’s the every day life, it’s not just a day and a few weeks passed and they returned to work, this is constant, so the pandemic has lasted for over two years now, easily said, but health personnel has been very consecrated and working non-stop. We are very grateful for all that the entire health staff has done for us and for our children."

Paola's mother sums it up in a short and firm sentence: "nothing can amount to pay this".

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff