Twenty-nine nurses and one doctor of the Cuban medical brigade who completed their mission to help Saint Lucia fight the COVID-19 has departed the island.

Minister for Health and Wellness Mary Isaac personally bid farewell to the Cuban healthcare workers, thanking them for their contribution and service they have provided.

“They are returning home, they have served us in Saint Lucia, they have served us extremely well. Our people were reporting how pleased they are to have had these nurses and doctors attend to them during their stay here in Saint Lucia. I have thanked them for the service they gave to us so freely, so willingly and so loving. And we are here to say goodbye to them. Sadly, but is a reality that all good things often come to an end.”

Meanwhile, His Excellency Alejandro Simancas Marin, Cuban Ambassador to Saint Lucia, expressed Cuba’s continuous commitment to provide medical support.    

“It is a special moment for them, after three months of working together. They are already part of the beautiful history of friendship, cooperation and solidarity between Cuba and Saint Lucia. On behalf of the Cuban government and people and the Cuban medical brigade, we would like to express our appreciation to the Saint Lucia government, to the Saint Lucia people, Saint Lucia Ministry of Health and Wellness. We would like to express our appreciation to all of them for their hospitality to the Cuban health specialists.”

St Lucia currently has 3 active cases of COVID-19 with no recorded deaths.

In other news:

Russian University completes clinical trials Of COVID-19 vaccine

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A Russian university said that clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine on 38 paid volunteers have been completed successfully.

Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University launched clinical trials of the potential COVID-19 vaccine produced by Russia’s Gamalei Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology on June 18.

“The research has been completed and it proved that the vaccine is safe. The volunteers will be discharged on July 15 and July 20,” said Yelena Smolyarchuk, the head of Sechenov University’s clinical research centre.

Smolyarchuk added that the volunteers will remain under medical supervision on an out-patient basis after being discharged.

There are at least 21 vaccines currently under trial worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Every country and every lab is taking a different approach to finding the solution to stop the global pandemic.

Clinical trial on a glance:

• The first group of 18 healthy volunteers got vaccinated on June 18.
• The second group of 20 volunteers received the vaccine on June 23 at the Practical Research Centre for Interventional Cardiovasology.
• The volunteers were males and females within the age group of 18 to 65.
• They receive a lyophilised vaccine or a powder from which a solution is prepared for intramuscular injection.
• Some participants reported headaches and elevated body temperature, however, the university said these symptoms resolved completely within 24 hours after vaccine administration.
• The participants have been kept in single or double wards on campus at Sechenov University.
• They will have to spend 28 days in isolation after the vaccine injection to protect them from exposure to other infections and after discharging they will be monitored for 6 more months.
• During isolation, the volunteers were offered psychological support.
• The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Gamaleya Institute is also being tested at Burdenko Military Hospital in Moscow.
• The military hospital is using the liquid form of the medication during the clinical trial.

In other news:

MHS to join forces with Caribbean colleagues to fight COVD-19.

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