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Tags Cuba incidents , Cuba issues , protest incidents

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Old 14th January 2023, 04:03 AM   #201
dann
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Originally Posted by dann View Post
As for the rest of the world:
When will they ever learn?!

In this context, also kudos to Singapore. Different vaccines, but somewhat similar strategies.
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people: Cuba, Singapore, USA, Denmark - Oct 1, 2022 --> present

Cuba had a very tough time from June to October 2021 when Delta hit the country before vaccinations, the delay of which was largely due to the US blockade.
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people: Cuba, Singapore - March 23, 2020 --> present
Since then Cuba has been doing much better than Singapore, but the disparity in population density is considerable:
Cuba: 106 per km2
Singapore: 8,358 per km2

Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people: Cuba, Singapore, USA, Denmark
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 14th January 2023, 10:11 AM   #202
dann
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Difficult to find in U.S. media:

Quote:
Miami's Cuban conservative, just a few but with much political influence, are presently stirring up the U.S. blockade against Cuba instead of condemning it, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said on Monday.
During his morning briefing at the National Palace, the Mexican leader replied to a migration-economic integration question that he will discuss on Monday in a meeting with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden.
(...)
López Obrador gave as an example of profiting from the needs and pain of the people the case of a group of Cubans in Miami who, being a tiny minority, have great political influence and are the ones who whip up U.S. blockade and are against migrants from other nations as well, profiting and enriching themselves at their own people's expense.
U.S. blockade against Cuba and Miami's Cuban conservatives' stances are a flagrant violation of human rights, as is Washington’s hostile policy towards Cuba, López Obrador said, while asking the United States what gave it permission for one country to blockade another if we are not in the Middle Ages, are we not free?
Mexico accuses Miami's Cuban conservatives of goading on US blockade (Prensa Latina, Jan 9, 2023)
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 17th January 2023, 04:58 AM   #203
dann
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I forgot to update this in December, so let's take a look at the numbers since Nov 17, 2022:

Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in Cuba since Nov 17, 2022. On Nov 17, 2022: 0.28; on Jan 16, 2023: 1.45. A considerable rise in the number of new cases from Nov 22, 0.19 to Dec 26, 2.42. The numbers have been deceasing since then to now 1.45, probably due to the face-mask recommendations. (See posts above.) But still much higher than the November numbers.
For perspective:
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in Cuba and the USA since Nov 17, 2022. USA Nov 17: 114.14; Jan 16, 2023: 140.68 (from 225.26 on Jan 9).

The SARS-CoV-2 numbers from Our World in Data, Nov 16, 2021, and now:
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people. 7-day rolling average. Cuba 33, USA 251. --> Cuba 1.45, USA 140.68.
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people. 7-day rolling average. Cuba 0.23, USA 3.49. --> Cuba 0.0, USA 1.57.
Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people Cuba 760.78, USA 3,251.31. No new Covid-19 deaths in Cuba since Aug 21, 2022.

Vaccinations:
Share of people vaccinated against COVID-19, Nov 19, 2021 and now: Cuba: fully 73.41, total 89.07; USA: fully 57.58, total 67.38. --> Cuba: fully 89.24, total 95.63; USA: fully 69.08, total 80.73.
It takes three jabs to be considered fully vaccinated in Cuba, and Cuba offers booster shots more often, so the difference is even bigger if we look at:
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100 people Cuba 238.92, USA 130.99. --> Cuba 382.91, USA 200.75.

Daily COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100 people. Rolling 7-day average. Cuba 0.98, USA 0.30. --> Cuba 0.17 (Jan 14), USA 0.04 (Jan 10).
For a while, from Oct 1 to Dec 27, the USA was actually vaccinating more per capita than Cuba, but the rising number of new infections has made Cuba ramp up its vaccination programme again.

CNN's Tracking Covid-19 vaccinations worldwide

The numbers in this thread from Dec 17, 2021, Jan 17, 2022, Feb 17, Mar 16, April 17, May 17, June 17, July 17, Aug 17, Sep 17, Oct 17 and Nov 18.
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx

Last edited by dann; 17th January 2023 at 05:00 AM.
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Old 17th January 2023, 05:32 AM   #204
dann
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The Cuban COVID-19 vaccines Soberana-02 & Soberana-Plus

Quote:
SOBERANA-02 is a COVID-19 conjugate vaccine (recombinant RBD conjugated to tetanus toxoid). Phases 1/2 clinical trials demonstrated high immunogenicity, promoting neutralising IgG and specific T-cell response. A third heterologous dose of SOBERANA-Plus (RBD-dimer) further increased neutralising antibodies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of two immunisation regimes: two doses of SOBERANA-02 and a heterologous three-dose combination with SOBERANA-Plus added to it.
Safety and efficacy of the two doses conjugated protein-based SOBERANA-02 COVID-19 vaccine and of a heterologous three-dose combination with SOBERANA-Plus: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 3 clinical trial (The Lancet, Volume 18, Feb 1, 2023; online Dec 31, 2022)

This looks promising:

Quote:
The SOBERANA vaccines demonstrated to be efficacious in preventing PCR-confirmed symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections among adults aged 19–80 years. Efficacy after two doses SOBERANA-02 administration, 69.7%, was well over the WHO-set 50% threshold. After completion of the heterologous schedule with SOBERANA-Plus, VE attained an excellent 92.0%. Efficacy to prevent severe COVID-19 was 74.9% for the two doses regimen; no severe case presented under the heterologous scheme. The occurrence of serious and severe AEs was very rare and equally distributed between the placebo and vaccine groups. Solicited AEs were slightly more frequent in the vaccine group but predominantly local and mostly mild and transient.

Subunit protein vaccines present clear advantages in terms of manufacturing, storage and distribution. Still, administration of a third heterologous dose in the So2P regimen, which significantly further increases SOBERANA's VE, could be construed as a disadvantage compared to COVID-19 vaccines using two dose regimens. However, the need for and benefits of administering a booster dose to the primary schedules of registered vaccines is increasingly recognised. Furthermore, due to the T-epitopes from the tetanus toxoid carrier protein, SOBERANA-02 -the first conjugate SARS CoV-2 RBD protein-based vaccine induces T-helper response and long lasting immunity. Heterologous combinations for priming and booster using protein vaccines are also reported by others, with excellent results.
VE vaccine efficacy
AE adverse effects
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx

Last edited by dann; 17th January 2023 at 05:34 AM.
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Old 20th January 2023, 08:13 AM   #205
dann
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It's an opinion piece, not an editorial, but still ...

Quote:
Over the holidays, leading human rights experts were busy placing bets on the imminent demise of the Cuban government. Rocketing inflation, food shortages, and spiraling infrastructure has resulted in its embattled economy sounding the death knell on further funding for investment and resources. Unsurprisingly, what the political discourse around Cuba fails to mention is that the island has been shackled under an oppressive U.S blockade on trade spanning decades.
(...)
Avenging the events of 1959 is what has enabled the slandering of Cuba as a tyrannical and despotic island to flourish. Notwithstanding that Cuba's COVID vaccination drive is a model example the world over, that its literacy rate soars past its neoliberal counterparts, and that recent anti-government protests were exaggerated by those devoted to its demise.
Biden's progressive credentials and efforts to resolve foreign disputes are undermined by continuing Trump's calamity. A total of 185 countries voted in favor of a U.N.-backed motion in November to end the blockade on Cuba, with the U.S. and Israel being the only two states to vote against it. Biden continues to hold communism responsible yet leaves out resentments over historic power struggles and Cuba's successful attempts to keep its island independent from imperial rule.
If communism is so bad, Biden should ease sanctions and let the Cuban people figure that out for themselves.
Why Is Biden Pursuing a Trump-Lite Approach With Cuba? (Newsweek, Jan 20, 2023)
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 26th January 2023, 03:11 AM   #206
dann
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Originally Posted by dudalb View Post
I don't like oppresive regimes, no matter what ideology they use.
Originally Posted by theprestige View Post
But I admit I don't have a lot of info and am pretty much just guessing.
Originally Posted by Arcade22 View Post
Yes how surprising that the only people allowed to "protest" unmolested in Cuba are the thugs who "protest" on behalf of the country's cruel ruling dictatorship that oppresses anyone who tries to assert their own freedom.

For some reason, nobody wanted to comment on the most recent Cuban referendum. I mentioned it in the thread about Evangelical Homophobia in Cuba, and I witnessed it taking place in Havana on Sep 25, 2022, with cute kids standing guard at the ballot boxes. I didn't notice any cruel oppression. I didn't see the celebrations afterwards, and I didn't see anybody complain, but they may have been scared off by the threatening attitude of the girls in school uniforms.

Not everybody was happy with the outcome:
Quote:
However, the updated code also faced stark opposition from religious conservatives. The Cuban Roman Catholic Church told Reuters that the updated law was riddled with “gender ideology” that would lead to “indoctrination of children in schools without parental consent,” echoing the language favored by large swathes of the U.S. Republican Party. Numerous of the island’s Protestant delegations have been extensively campaigning against same-sex marriage for years as well.
Cuba Has Legalized Same-Sex Marriage and Adoption (Them, Sep 26, 2022)

And now there's a chance to learn about elections to the Cuban National Assembly of People's Power, which will be held on March 26, 2023:
Cuba alista elecciones nacionales de marzo próximo (PrensaLatina, Jan 13, 2023)
Cuban Parliamentary Election: Electoral system (Wikipedia)
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 31st January 2023, 03:02 AM   #207
dann
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Two posts about pandemic measures in Cuba and Singapore in the thread How do we know a pandemic's over?
http://www.internationalskeptics.com...9#post13999149
http://www.internationalskeptics.com...0#post13999160
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 4th February 2023, 12:05 PM   #208
dann
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Occasionally, people pretend to know how Cuba's system of government works:

Originally Posted by The Atheist View Post
I will reiterate this is a bloke who thinks a one party vote in Cuba constitutes a democratic election.

Now there's a chance to learn! The election of Cuba's National Assembly of People's Power takes place on March 26, but the electoral process has already started:
Quote:
Para integrar la lista electoral, cada propuesta para candidato a diputado deberá obtener este domingo más del 50 % de los votos de los delegados
Mañana, las asambleas municipales del Poder Popular nominarán a los candidatos a diputados (Granma.cu, Feb 4, 2023)
Google translate:
To integrate the electoral list, each proposal for candidate for deputy must obtain this Sunday more than 50% of the votes of the delegates
Tomorrow, the municipal assemblies of Popular Power will nominate the candidates for deputies

See also post 206
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 5th February 2023, 05:38 AM   #209
dann
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Originally Posted by SuburbanTurkey View Post
i came in here to do apologism for the Cuban revolution, but I just can't given the record of human rights abuse. There's a horrible prison right there on the island that is openly torturing prisoners and shows no sign of ever stopping. Perhaps one day the torture camp can be liberated and those committing crimes against humanity will be held accountable.

Only a tankie would say this is ok.

The camp is still there, but Belize receives prisoner released from US naval base in Guantanamo (PrensaLatina, Feb 4, 2023).
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 5th February 2023, 06:28 AM   #210
dann
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Quote:
“We’re curing a thousand people’s blindness,” says MrBeast – real name Jimmy Donaldson – in the Saturday video, which reached over 32 million views as of Sunday afternoon.
The video features touching before-and-after footage of patients seeing with clear vision after finishing the surgery. The YouTuber also gave cash donations and other gifts to some of the participants.
YouTube star MrBeast helps 1,000 blind people see again by sponsoring cataract surgeries (CNN, Jan 29, 2023)
MrBeast Criticized for Viral Blindness Video (GameRant, Jan 31, 2023)

What is wrong with this guy?! Is he a bloody communist? Is the trying to make thousands of ophthalmologists lose their jobs? There's something very suspicious going on here! He must have ulterior motives, and he's gotta be stopped!

Quote:
Operación Milagro (English: Operation Miracle; also Misión Milagro in Venezuela) is a program of international solidarity launched in 2004 by the governments of Cuba and Venezuela to provide free medical treatment for people with eye problems.
(...)
Clinics like in Uruguay will scout out patients in rural areas, performing surgeries that would cost at least $5,000 for free. Hospital Saint Bois in Uruguay, which houses the José Martí Ophthalmology Clinic, reported 50,000 surgeries in seven years.
(...)
In accordance with Cuban internationalist medical programs created at this time, an ulterior motive to the program is political legitimacy for Cuba and greater economic agency. Working in programs like Operación Milagro instills patriotism in Cuban doctors, furthered by the Cuban government's monetary incentives for participating personnel.
(...)
The United States, critical of the Cuban government and the ALBA's function in Latin America, remains steadfast in attempting to maintain its sphere of influence. WikiLeaks revealed that the United States government was influencing Mexican president Felipe Calderón to resist medical assistance in Mexico through Operación Milagro. Right wing governments have also shown pushback against the expansion of the program, including Panama, where the government created its own program to combat Cuba's. In Peru, the conservative government of Alan García ended ties with Operación Milagro, also noting that they had their own program, which was not only domestic but also more limited in scope. Other nations have accused Cuba of overtaking their professional healthcare systems, worried that Cuban doctors would overshadow medical competition.
Operación Milagro (Wikipedia)

What's next? Will the communists try to kill a perfectly good business for the Western vaccine companies?!

Oh, I see!
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 7th February 2023, 12:54 PM   #211
dann
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Originally Posted by dudalb View Post
You know, I am wierd in one way. I don't like oppresive regimes, no matter what ideology they use. Oppersive regimes are bad, period.
Originally Posted by theprestige View Post
I admit I don't have a lot of info and am pretty much just guessing. I couldn't give you a good reason for why I think this.
Originally Posted by Arcade22 View Post
Yes how surprising that the only people allowed to "protest" unmolested in Cuba are the thugs who "protest" on behalf of the country's cruel ruling dictatorship that oppresses anyone who tries to assert their own freedom.

Cuban elections
in English:
Candidates to Cuba’s parliament hold meetings with citizens (+Photos) (PrensaLatina, Feb 6, 2023)
Cuban president participates in assembly to approve candidacy (+Photo) (PrensaLatina, Feb 6, 2023)
Parliamentary candidates tour Cuban provinces (PrensaLatina, Feb 7, 2023)

in Spanish:
Dialogan con el pueblo granmense candidatos a diputados al Parlamento Cubano (Trabajadores.cu, Feb 6, 2023)
Realizan encuentros con la población candidatos a diputados de Arroyo Naranjo (Trabajadores.cu, Feb 6, 2023)
Dialogan con el pueblo candidatos a diputados camagüeyanos (Trabajadores.cu, Feb 7, 2023)
Con Filo: La candidatura (Trabajadores.cu, Feb 7, 2023)
Sin promesas, ni varitas mágicas andan los candidatos a diputados (Trabajadores.cu, Feb 7, 2023)

Las próximas elecciones nacionales serán otro hecho de valentía y de democracia de Cuba (JuventudRebelde, Feb 6, 2023)
Candidatos a diputados en segunda jornada junto al pueblo (JuventudRebelde, Feb 7, 2023)
En Virgina clases sobre el buen hacer comunitario (JuventudRebelde, Feb 7, 2023)

Estos son los candidatos a diputados a la X Legislatura del Parlamento cubano (Granma.cu, Feb 7, 2023)
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 10th February 2023, 02:22 PM   #212
dann
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Quote:
Cuba's Covid-19 Abdala vaccine proved to be stable, effective and functional after being stored for 15 days at 37oC, the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology of Cuba (CIGB) reported Thursday.
“Abdala is a vaccine that requires no freezing process to be preserved, unlike other vaccines, since it can be stored from four to eight degrees Celsius. It has been proved Abdala vaccine is thermostable for 15 days at 37oC without being affected.”
“It facilitates its distribution and a high vaccination coverage,” the CIGB tweeted.
(...)
Since July 2021, the Cuban vaccine has been authorized for emergency use after proving 92.28% effectiveness in preventing symptomatic disease and 90% effectiveness in severe Covid-19 patients. It also showed a 99.15% rise in antibodies in volunteers aged three to 11 years and 98.28% in those aged 12 to 18 years.
The CIGB confirmed the increased antibody titers was fourfold or more from the first dose in these population groups.
Cuba’s Abdala vaccine is safe, effective and thermostable – CIGB (PrensaLatina, Feb 9, 2023)

Demonstrating “Abdala” Subunit Vaccine Stability Under Thermal Stress Conditions (BioProcessing Journal, Vol. 21, Sep 2022)
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 17th February 2023, 02:36 AM   #213
dann
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Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in Cuba since Feb 17, 2022.
For perspective (notice the y-axis): Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in Cuba and the USA since Feb 17, 2022.
Cuba does have regular updates, for instance Feb 16 and Jan 31. However, unlike the daily updates in New Zealand, I haven't seen any that distinguish between incoming travellers and others.

The SARS-CoV-2 numbers from Our World in Data, Nov 16, 2021, and now:
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people. 7-day rolling average. Cuba 33, USA 251. --> Cuba 0.42, USA 98.68.
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people. 7-day rolling average. Cuba 0.23, USA 3.49. --> Cuba 0.0, USA 1.01.
Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people Cuba 760.78, USA 3,301.23. No new Covid-19 deaths in Cuba since Aug 21, 2022.

Vaccinations:
Share of people vaccinated against COVID-19, Nov 19, 2021 and now: Cuba: fully 73.41, total 89.07; USA: fully 57.58, total 67.38. --> Cuba: fully 89.26, total 95.67; USA: fully 69.22, total 80.93.
It takes three jabs to be considered fully vaccinated in Cuba, and Cuba offers booster shots more often, so the difference is even bigger if we look at:
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100 people Cuba 238.92, USA 130.99. --> Cuba 388.54, USA 201.89.

Daily COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100 people. Rolling 7-day average. Cuba 0.98, USA 0.30. --> Cuba 0.08 (Feb 14), USA 0.02 (Feb 7).
I don't know if the USA has stopped reporting vax numbers: Daily share of the population receiving a COVID-19 vaccine dose

CNN's Tracking Covid-19 vaccinations worldwide

The numbers in this thread from Dec 17, 2021, Jan 17, 2022, Feb 17, Mar 16, April 17, May 17, June 17, July 17, Aug 17, Sep 17, Oct 17,Nov 18 and Jan 17, 2023.
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx

Last edited by dann; 17th February 2023 at 02:37 AM.
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Old 19th February 2023, 01:30 PM   #214
dann
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"the lack of attention to public health in those countries"

See U.S. and Cuban vaccination numbers in the previous post!

Quote:
House Vote 4: COVID VACCINES AND FOREIGNERS: The House has passed a bill (H.R. 185), sponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., to end the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Covid vaccine requirement for foreigners visiting the U.S. by air. Massie referenced the "tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions of people who have been separated at our border because of this ridiculous, illogical, unscientific policy." A bill opponent, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., said if the mandate ended, "I would be very concerned about people coming from places like Russia, China, and Cuba not being vaccinated because of the lack of attention to public health in those countries." The vote, on Feb. 8, was 227 yeas to 201 nays.
WASHINGTON - Here's a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week. (CitizenTimes, Feb 8, 2023)

By the way, Frank Pallone isn't even a Republican.
__________________
/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 19th February 2023, 01:38 PM   #215
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Quote:
During the coronavirus pandemic, Cuba was able to effectively control the virus with vaccines developed and produced by its own pharmaceutical and biotech centers.
The vaccines known as ABDALA and SOBERANA proved highly-effective against the virus, as acknowledged by Cuban scientists and international scientific institutions.
COVID control with home-grown vaccines in Cuba (CGTN, Feb 8, 2023)
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 8th March 2023, 03:58 AM   #216
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For a longer life, Cuba bets on improving health (RadioReloj.cu, Feb 22, 2023)

For a shorter life, Western countries bet on learning to live with the virus.
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 8th March 2023, 04:43 AM   #217
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Washington, Mar 7 (Prensa Latina) The reintroduction of a bipartisan bill by five US lawmakers legislators to have the blockade against Cuba lifted has become an example of the efforts to establish normal relations between the two countries.
Democratic Senators Amy Klobuchar, Chris Murphy and Elizabeth Warren joined Republican Lawmakers Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran to present the initiative, which seeks to break the blockade imposed on Cuba by Washington for more than 60 years.
According to a statement released on Klobuchar’s official website, the Freedom to Export to Cuba Act would create new economic opportunities for US businesses and farmers by boosting exports and giving Cubans more access to US products.
US senators introduce bill to have blockade against Cuba lifted (Prensa Latina, Mar 7, 2023)

Even though 'Havana Syndrome', 'Anomalous Health Incidents' and 'attacks' on U.S. diplomats and spies aren't mentioned at all, it can't be a coincidence that this happens less than a week after those ideas have been deemed untrue by the ODNI report.

Quote:
“It is long past time for us to normalize relations with Cuba,” said Warren. “This legislation takes important steps to remove barriers for U.S. trade and relations between our two countries and moves us in the right direction by increasing economic opportunities for Americans and the Cuban people.”
Klobuchar, Moran, Murphy, Marshall, Warren Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Lift Trade Embargo on Cuba (Klobuchar.Senate.Gov, Mar 6, 2023)

That Roger Marshall stresses that it "allows for Kansas farmers, ranchers and manufacturers to expand their businesses to Cuba and opens the door to a large export market" also isn't coincidental!
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 11th March 2023, 04:01 AM   #218
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Big conference in New York about attempts to normalize US-Cuban relations:

Quote:
Stand with Cuba - International US-Cuba Normalization Conference, NYC
International US-Cuba Normalization conference at Fordham University, School of Law, New York City, March 11th -12th
International US-Cuba Normalization Conference (March 11 to 12, 2023)

Tomorrow, Sunday, there will be a webinar on Zoom. Pre-register for in-person or virtual attendance.
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 12th March 2023, 11:41 AM   #219
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But the embassy’s chargé d’affaires, Benjamin Ziff, told the Miami Herald in January that the imprisonment of hundreds of Cuban protesters stemming from islandwide protests in July 2021 is the “most serious obstacle” to further improvement in relations.
Between the U.S. and Cuba, more cultural exchanges and engagement signal a modest shift in policy - Despite tensions over the imprisonment of Cuban protesters, there have recently been more cultural events and meetings of delegates of the two countries. (NBC News, March 7, 2023)

For some reason, Cuban diplomats don't seem to think that the arrests of at least 1,000 American protesters stemming from January 2021 protests in Washington are the "most serious obstacle" to further improvement in relations. Could it be because Cuban diplomats are just better informed than their U.S. counterparts and know that those American protesters weren't arrested for protesting but for something beyond protesting?
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 17th March 2023, 11:45 AM   #220
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Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in Cuba since Mar 16, 2022.
For perspective (notice the y-axis): Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in Cuba and the USA since Mar 16, 2022.

The SARS-CoV-2 numbers from Our World in Data, Nov 16, 2021, and now:
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people. 7-day rolling average. Cuba 33, USA 251. --> Cuba 0.38 (Mar 16), USA 72.04 (Mar 11).
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people. 7-day rolling average. Cuba 0.23, USA 3.49. --> Cuba 0.0 (Mar 16), USA 0.93 (Mar 10).
Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people Cuba 760.78, USA 3,290.76. No new Covid-19 deaths in Cuba since Aug 21, 2022. USA number down since last month's 3,301.23. Maybe due to adjustments of population size?

Vaccinations:
Share of people vaccinated against COVID-19, Nov 19, 2021 and now: Cuba: fully 73.41, total 89.07; USA: fully 57.58, total 67.38. --> Cuba: fully 89.27, total 95.70; USA: fully 69.32, total 81.07.
It takes three jabs to be considered fully vaccinated in Cuba, and Cuba offers booster shots more often, so the difference is even bigger if we look at:
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100 people Cuba 238.92, USA 130.99. --> Cuba 390.05, USA 202.57.

Daily COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100 people. Rolling 7-day average. Cuba 0.98, USA 0.30. --> Cuba 0.05 (Mar 14), USA 0.01 (Mar 7).
The USA seems to be reporting its numbers only once a week now:
Daily share of the population receiving a COVID-19 vaccine dose

CNN's Tracking Covid-19 vaccinations worldwide

Earlier numbers: Dec 17, 2021, Jan 17, 2022, Feb 17, Mar 16, April 17, May 17, June 17, July 17, Aug 17, Sep 17, Oct 17, Nov 18, Jan 17, 2023, Feb 17.
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 25th March 2023, 11:47 AM   #221
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Members of the New York chapter of the National Conference of Black Lawyers want Biden to removed Cuba from the list of countries supporting terrorism:

Quote:
Published in the Amsterdam News, the text recalled that while Joe Biden was campaigning for president “he promised to reverse the draconian sanctions imposed on Cuba” by Donald Trump.
However, Biden kept unchanged “most of Trump’s nearly 250 sanctions, including Cuba's inclusion in the list of states sponsor of terrorism,” they added.
But despite the hostile blockade and its inclusion in the list, Cuba “continues to have higher life expectancy, lower infant and maternal mortality, better health outcomes, higher literacy, more education and less violence than the United States.”
Black Lawyers launch campaign to withdraw Cuba from terrorist list (Prensa Latina, Mar 25, 2023)
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 28th March 2023, 02:53 AM   #222
dann
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Caravan to demand end of US blockade against Cuba was successful (Prensa Latina, Mar 27, 2023)

Well, it was not as successful as the title had made me hope ...
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx

Last edited by dann; 28th March 2023 at 02:56 AM.
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Old 1st April 2023, 06:48 AM   #223
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To date, 10 million 731 thousand 335 people have received at least one dose of one of the Cuban immunogens Soberana 02, Soberana Plus and Abdala.
Of these, 9 million 450 thousand 488 have already received the second dose and 9 million 148 thousand 870 have received the third dose.
A total of 90.7 percent of the Cuban population has been fully vaccinated and a total of 8,712,929 people have received booster doses.
Third dose of anti-Covid-19 booster to be approved in Cuba (Prensa Latina, Mar 29, 2023)

Population 11,113,215 (2021) (Wikipedia)
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 15th April 2023, 11:42 AM   #224
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The final results of the vaccination with the combined scheme of Soberana 02 and Soberana Plus -both developed by the Finlay Vaccine Institute (IFV)- in children between two and 11 years of age in Cuba, during the infectious wave of the Omicron variant of SARS-COV-2, showed an effectiveness of more than 80%, the institution said on Twitter.
According to the Preprint of the results, after a regression discontinuity study, shared by the IFV, 1,098,817 fully vaccinated children between two and 11 years of age and 98,342 unvaccinated one-year-old children were included in the study.
During the 24-week Omicron infectious wave, 7,003 symptomatic COVID-19 infections were detected in the vaccinated group, and about 3,577 in the unvaccinated, the Preprint referenced.
The effectiveness of the vaccines against symptomatic COVID-19 infection was found to be similar in children aged two to four years, and in children aged five to 11 years, with 83.8% and 82.3%, respectively.
The article also showed that the effectiveness against severe symptomatic infection was 97 % in the two to four year-old group and 95 % in the five to 11 year-old group.
It was also shown that the efficacy against infection did not diminish over time.
There is a lot of Cuban COVID1-19 vaccines in children's smiles (Granma, April 13, 2023)

Since Cuba values children's health over pretending that the virus has disappeared, it is not taboo to mask up (PrensaLatina, April 10, 2023) occasionally if the number of infections is rising. When I visited schools in Cuba in the fall of 2022, I didn't notice any adverse psychological effects from having had to mask up, which was one of the concerns of panicking anti-maskers in the Western world.
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 17th April 2023, 02:12 PM   #225
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Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in Cuba since April 10, 2022.
For perspective (notice the y-axis): Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in Cuba and the USA since April 10, 2022. It looks as if the USA has achieved ZeroCovid, at least from April 8 to April 12, but I suppose it's a question of reporting (or registration) having stopped.

The SARS-CoV-2 numbers from Our World in Data, Nov 16, 2021, and now:
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people. 7-day rolling average. Cuba 33, USA 251. --> Cuba 0.23 (April 12), USA 74.47 (April 7).
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people. 7-day rolling average. Cuba 0.23, USA 3.49. --> Cuba 0.0 (April 12), USA 0.74 (April 7).
Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people Cuba 760.78, USA 3,307.22.

Vaccinations:
Share of people vaccinated against COVID-19, Nov 19, 2021 and now: Cuba: fully 73.41, total 89.07; USA: fully 57.58, total 67.38. --> Cuba: fully 89.30, total 95.74; USA: fully 69.42, total 81.22.
It takes three jabs to be considered fully vaccinated in Cuba, and Cuba offers booster shots more often, so the difference is even bigger if we look at:
COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100 people Cuba 238.92, USA 130.99. --> Cuba 392.03, USA 203.22.

Daily COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100 people. Rolling 7-day average. Cuba 0.98, USA 0.30. --> Cuba 0.07 (April 15), USA <0.01 (April 11).
The USA seems to be reporting its numbers only once a week now:
Daily share of the population receiving a COVID-19 vaccine dose

CNN's Tracking Covid-19 vaccinations worldwide

Earlier numbers: Dec 17, 2021, Jan 17, 2022, Feb 17, Mar 16, April 17, May 17, June 17, July 17, Aug 17, Sep 17, Oct 17, Nov 18, Jan 17, 2023, Feb 17, Mar 17.
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 26th April 2023, 09:49 AM   #226
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Good state of Cuba-Singapore relations highlighted (Granma.cu, April 24, 2023)

An interesting fact in this context is the many similarities between the pandemic response of the two countries - in spite of one major difference in this respect:
Population density
Singapore 8,358 per km2
Cuba 102 per km2
(USA 36 per km2)
Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people (Our World in Data)
Daily new confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million people (Our World in Data)

That Cuba and Singapore have managed the pandemic response so well is probably due to a couple of things:

1) Pre-vaccination, both countries had strict lockdowns, in densely populated Singapore very strict: 2020–21 Singapore circuit breaker measures (Wikipedia).
2) Extensive use of testing and face masks.
3) Both managed to keep the contagion down until the arrival of the Delta variant, which hit Cuba particularly hard because the vaccination campaign had only just started in the summer of 2021 due to USA's blockade.
4) Both countries have vaccinated their entire populations, including children. Singapore used Moderna's and Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccines. Cuba used its own vaccines Soberana and Abdala. Unlike many other countries, Singapore and Cuba are aware that COVID-19 harms children, too. Consequently, Singapore has vaccinated all children older than 6 months. Singapore maintains COVID-19 vaccination stance for children, adolescents as WHO revises recommendations - MOH said severe disease can still occur in children infected with COVID-19, including pneumonia, MIS-C (multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children), and even death. (Channels News Asia, Mar 30, 2023)
Cuba started vaccinating children 2+ in the fall of 2021: In Cuba, most children 2 and up are vaccinated against Covid-19 (NBC News, Mar 2, 2022). I don't know if Cuba has started vaccinating younger children than that since then.
5) Low levels of vaccine hesitancy, obviously.

The most important lesson that the rest of the world could learn from Cuba and Singapore is that health authorities and governments telling their populations to 'learn to live with the virus' instead of fighting it are full of ****. In some countries, people tend to have faith in their health authorities because they have reason to trust them. In other countries ... not so much.
It is no wonder that the mainstream media doesn't tell us about the pandemic response of the two countries, which are so different in most respects.
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 7th May 2023, 01:33 PM   #227
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Blinken says there are no plans to remove Cuba from list of sponsors of terrorism (OnCubaNews, Mar 28, 2023)

Bill that would prevent U.S. president from removing Cuba from list of sponsors of terrorism gets support (OnCubaNews, Mar 30, 2023)

Quote:
Cuba and the United States this Thursday and Friday held in Havana a technical exchange on cooperation to combat terrorism, reported the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT).
Authorities from both governments discussed the hijacking of aircraft and maritime vessels, as well as the use of digital media for violent purposes, according to a press release published this Friday on MININT’s official website.
“Both parties agreed on the importance of cooperation in this sphere, and agreed to continue technical meetings in the future,” it said.
Likewise, it regretted that the administration in Washington accuses Cuba in an “arbitrary and unjustified” manner of being a “sponsor of terrorism” and considered that carrying out this exchange “is an expression of the commitment of the Cuban government in the fight against this scourge, and of the commitment to take all necessary steps to combat its perpetrators.”
Cuba and U.S. exchange information to cooperate against terrorism (OnCubaNews, April 30, 2023)

It does look weird, doesn't it?!
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 27th May 2023, 11:47 AM   #228
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The Washington D.C. Council unanimously voted a resolution to urge President Joe Biden to end the economic blockade against Cuba and to remove the country from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Upon learning the news and reflecting it on his Twitter account, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, detailed that "this makes 80 resolutions in the United States in favor of a change in policy towards Cuba"
Washington DC Council calls to lift blockade and remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism (Granma.cu, May 25, 2023)

PR25-0113 - Sense of the Council on the Restoration of Cuban American Relations Resolution of 2023 (D.C. Council, May 19, 2023)
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 2nd June 2023, 07:35 AM   #229
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During the covid-19 crisis, the United States had the opportunity to share its vaccine technology with the world, and its failure to do so prolonged the pandemic at home and abroad. In June 2022, a senior Biden administration official admitted that the omicron variant, which has been responsible for more than 300,000 deaths in the United States and more than 1.5 million globally, might never have emerged if the world been sufficiently vaccinated in 2021.
What is less known is that Cuba had the same opportunity to help vaccinate the world. The story of how Cuba was systematically blocked in its quest to make its own highly effective vaccines widely available offers crucial lessons.
(...)
Crucially, these governments could not persuade the companies they had financed to share the technologies that could have enabled other countries to make vaccines on their own. In this grim landscape, it was astonishing to learn that Cuba had made two effective coronavirus vaccines from scratch, and then vowed to share its intellectual property worldwide.
(...)
The cost of developing these shots was $50 million, according to BioCubaFarma, far less than the billions invested by the U.S. government and the hundreds of millions invested by Germany in theirs.
Next pandemic, let Cuba vaccinate the world (Washington Post, June 1, 2023)

The Washington Post: Next pandemic, let Cuba vaccinate the world (Cuban News Agency, June 2, 2023)
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 21st June 2023, 01:19 AM   #230
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Quote:
Three doses of Abdala vaccine were very effective in pregnant women to counteract the effects of Covid-19, and the use of Jusvinza peptide in those with severe or critical disease.

Protecting pregnant women and their babies has been a priority in Cuba since COVID-19 began to spread around the world. And although, unfortunately, in 2021, 93 of them died during the worst moments of the pandemic peak faced by our country, once vaccination was started in this risk group, that indicator was reduced to zero, and greater protection of the lives of pregnant women and unborn babies was achieved.
This is confirmed by the historical figures of the epidemic in the Greater Antilles, as well as by the safety and immunogenicity evaluation carried out in 940 obstetric patients who received three doses of the Abdala vaccine, as part of a research carried out in five maternity hospitals in Havana.
These results -which were presented at the meeting of experts and scientists on health issues, headed by the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez- showed that 92.6% of the pregnant women studied were not infected with COVID-19, and out of the 6% who were, only 0.4% had moderate disease, and the rest had mild disease.
(...)
It was possible to confirm, she said, that in any trimester that the woman is vaccinated there will be benefits for both her and the unborn child, being the most favorable moment around the 22nd week of pregnancy.
Abdala vaccine: excellent protection for pregnant women and their babies (Granma.cu, June 16, 2023)

The article also mentions the drug Jusvinza:
Jusvinza, an anti-inflammatory drug derived from the human heat-shock protein 60, for critically ill COVID-19 patients. An observational study (PubMed, Feb 2, 2023)
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 24th June 2023, 10:30 AM   #231
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Several activists with the National Network on Cuba, CODEPINK, and IFCO/Pastors for Peace were arrested on Thursday after trying to have a meeting with New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez in his office in Washington, DC. Activists were attempting to meet with Menendez to urge him to lift the US blockade against Cuba and take Cuba off the US’s State Sponsors of Terrorism list.
(...)
The NNOC, IFCO, and CODEPINK are mobilizing a march, alongside other solidarity and anti-war organizations, in Washington DC this Sunday, June 25 to take Cuba off of the US State Sponsors of Terrorism list, an extreme designation that Menendez supports. (Source: Prensa Latina)
Gail Walker arrested after trying to meet Senator Bob Menendez (Granma.cu, June 23, 2023)
Gail Walker, NNOC, IFCO, CODEPINK.
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 24th June 2023, 12:37 PM   #232
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Codepink. Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time.
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Old 9th August 2023, 03:07 AM   #233
dann
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Quote:
Democratic Senator Peter Welch stated that removing Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list is a measure that the United States can and should take to mend its relationship with the Caribbean island.

Welch, who became a member of the US Senate from Vermont this year, filed a statement for the Congressional Record outlining opportunities to advance bilateral ties.
In his proposal, the legislator warned that the policies currently in place are just a continuation of the failed agenda of the previous administration.
These policies contribute, directly and indirectly, to hardships and scarcity in Cuba, which in his opinion was a triggering factor for the increase in the migratory flow of Cuban citizens to the United States in 2022, he added.
US Senator calls to remove Cuba from State Sponsors of Terrorism list (PrensaLatina, Aug 8, 2023)

No mention in the mainstream media.
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 9th August 2023, 05:33 PM   #234
Brainster
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Originally Posted by dann View Post
No mention in the mainstream media.
Welch has been a useful idiot literally forever.
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Old 16th August 2023, 06:21 AM   #235
dann
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Originally Posted by theprestige View Post
Codepink. Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time.

Mentioned in this thread a couple of times.
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 16th August 2023, 06:31 AM   #236
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Originally Posted by newyorkguy View Post
Public protests in Cuba, normally unthinkable, have erupted as widespread anger and frustration grows at the current situation. The Miami Herald reports:

A 14-second video shows people marching in protest.
...

I have mainly focused on Cuba's pandemic response in this thread, one of the two themes in the OP, but I have also compared the media's reporting on protests and/or riots in other countries with the reporting about protests and riots in Cuba in July 2021 (and the ones that were unsuccessfully announced for November 2021), and in particular about the response of the authorities.
See posts 13, 22, 29, 41, 62, 84, 108, 109, 111, 113, 115, 116, 117, 118, 122, 125, 133, 134, 135, 140, 160, 202, and 219.

In a new article, Cuban Granma looks at biased reporting on this theme:

Quote:
While the world is facing an era of turbulence and crisis, Cuba is also waging an unparalleled battle against slander and lies. Its people's cult of justice and the full dignity of the human being is the target of systematic attacks by its adversaries.
An example of the discrediting campaign, organized from Washington, is the distortion of the events that took place in the country during the summer of 2021.
A quick look around the world reveals interesting details on the subject, and clearly shows the manipulation and double standards by which these matters are measured.
Double standards and new protest linguistics (Granma.cu, Aug 10, 2023)

Granma mentions other riots in the rest of the world, how they were handled by the police and described by the media, and sums up:
Quote:
In both Europe and the U.S., the events were termed as civil unrest.

Granma then returns to the comparison of those riots with the ones in Cuba in 2021:
Quote:
However, in Cuba, for example, no helicopters or armored vehicles were used, let alone long[-range?] weapons to restore order; no tear gas or water jets were used to contain those who threw Molotov cocktails, destroyed cars, looted stores and threw stones at institutions and people.
None of that can happen in Cuba. Neither the laws nor the citizens would allow such outrages; it only happens in the toxic ecosystem of fake media, in which truth and lies are confused at the whim of the spurious interests of those who still dream of inflicting a humiliating defeat on the Island of Liberty.
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 7th September 2023, 10:01 AM   #237
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Apparently, Cubans have been lured into going to Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine to do construction work but were then told to put on uniforms and fight against Ukraine.

Ukraine war: Cuban ‘prisoners of war’ being ‘duped’ into fighting for Russia (Times Radio on YouTube, Sep 5, 2023 - 4:05 min)
YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the ISF. The ISF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.
I AGREE

Quote:
The Ministry of the Interior has detected and it is working to neutralize and dismantle a trafficking network that operates from Russia in order to incorporate Cuban citizens living there and even some living in Cuba, into the military forces that participate in military operations in Ukraine. Attempts of this nature have been neutralized and criminal proceedings have been initiated against those involved in these activities.
Cuba’s enemies are promoting distorted information that seeks to tarnish the country’s image and present it as an accomplice to these acctions that we firmly reject.
Cuba has a firm and clear historical position against mercenarism, and it plays an active role in the United Nations in rejection of the aforementioned practice, being the author of several of the initiatives approved in that forum.
Cuba is not part of the war in Ukraine. It is acting and it will firmly act against those who within the national territory participate in any form of human trafficking for mercenarism or recruitment purposes so that Cuban citizens may raise weapons against any country.
Cuba counters human trafficking operations aimed for military recruitment purposes (Granma.cu, Sep 5, 2023)
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 2nd November 2023, 01:54 PM   #238
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Today, each and every country in the EU, all South American, North American and Caribbean countries, with one exception, voted to end the U.S. blockade against Cuba.

UN votes overwhelmingly to condemn US economic embargo on Cuba for 31st year and urge its lifting (Washington Post, Nov 2, 2023)

Quote:
HAVANA, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The U.N. General Assembly called for the 31st time on the United States to end its decades-long trade embargo against Cuba as the communist-run island suffers its worst economic crisis in decades, with shortages of food, fuel and medicine.
The non-binding resolution was approved by 187 countries and opposed only by the United States and Israel, with Ukraine abstaining.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said in a speech before the assembly that the "blockade prevents Cuba from accessing food, medicines, and technological and medical equipment."
U.N. votes to end US embargo on Cuba; US and Israel oppose (Reuters, Nov 2, 2023)

Quote:
Six decades of the embargo has cost Cuba trillions of dollars, Singapore’s representative, who spoke on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said. From 1 March 2022 to 28 February 2023, the blockade cost Cuba an estimated $4.87 billion in losses. It is unfortunate that 80 per cent of Cuba’s current population has only known Cuba under the blockade. The policy is particularly jarring at a time when the world has already fallen behind on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Economic, Commercial Embargo Imposed by United States Against Cuba Harmful, Violates UN Charter, Speakers Underline in General Assembly (United Nations, Nov 1, 2023)
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"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 3rd November 2023, 10:32 AM   #239
dann
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Cuban foreign minister expresses appreciation for support at the United Nations (Granma.cu, Nov 2, 2023)

¡Dejen a Cuba vivir sin bloqueo! (Granma.cu, Nov 3, 2023)
Let Cuba live without the blockade!
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/dann
"Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht
"The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx
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Old 3rd November 2023, 10:49 AM   #240
theprestige
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I like how, in that fantasy world, the US embargo on Cuba is a literal blockade that prevents Cuba from trading with anyone else either. I wouldn't be surprised if half the votes in the UN came from delegates who assume there really is a literal blockade.
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