The joint flu and Covid booster campaign was launched throughout Spain on September 26 and from today (Tuesday October 4), anyone over the age of 60 can request an appointment at their local health centre. Chronically ill patients, pregnant women and health workers will also be eligible for the flu and fourth coronavirus jabs from this week.
Unlike previous years, children aged between 6 months and 5 years of age will be offered the flu vaccine from November 2, as they are proving particularly vulnerable this season.
"In mid-November it is expected that vaccination against the flu can be opened to the rest of the population, although the priority is the most vulnerable people," explained the Minister of Health, Juan José Pedreño, during a presentation on the importance of vaccinations.
The current campaign is understood to be progressing “at a good rate,” with around 70% of nursing and disability home residents now double jabbed.
With the summer barely behind us, the regional health authorities have already detected “an increase in respiratory infections” including respiratory syncytial viruses, which cause bronchitis in young children, while a case of the flu has also been positively diagnosed in Murcia.
The latest pandemic report is due to be released this afternoon but the current data points to a 10% increase in the weekly coronavirus incidence rate in the Region.