Date Published: 30/03/2021
ARCHIVED - Vaccination of 65 year olds will begin in the Valencia region next week
ARCHIVED ARTICLE
As soon as the vaccination of teachers has concluded, those aged 65 are next on the list
The Ministry of Health will begin to vaccinate people 65 years old, and then work down through to those aged 55 from next week onwards, as soon as the vaccination of teachers has concluded, according to regional Minister of Health, Ana Barceló.
Originally the plan was to use the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to vaccinate the most at-risk groups first, starting with those in carehomes and medical staff then work down through the age groups. At the moment the regional health service is vaccinating the over 80s.
In parallel to this is a separate programme of vaccinations using the AstraZeneca vaccine. Due to the lack of research data into its effect on the over 55s, the Spanish government had originally decided to only administer this vaccine to those under the age of 55. Following the recommendations of the WHO and EMA, the government has now extended the programme to include those under the age of 65.
Vaccinations had begun using this vaccine on essential services groups, such as teachers, firemen, police, etc, but this has now been extended to include all those aged under 65, regardless of profession or health status.
This does leave those aged 65 to 79 in a bit of a limbo, as unless the government decides to use the AstraZeneca vaccine on those aged over 65 as well, they will have to wait until further supplies of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines become available.
During April the Janssen vaccine will join the list of those available in Spain, but until more information is confirmed about which vaccines will be delivered when, the regional minister says that it is impossible to confirm the dates by which vaccines will be available to those “falling in the middle”.
There may yet be a situation whereby the Spanish government decides to administer AstraZeneca to those aged over 65, but at the moment the national health minister has declined to make a firm decision until she has more data about the AstraZeneca vaccine in relation to older patients.
Over a million doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were delivered on Monday and Spain is expecting an increase in supply this month from both suppliers.
AstraZeneca is only expected to deliver 30 per cent of the total actually promised to not only Spain, but also other EU countries as the EU and UK continue to wrangle over a “fair” allocation of the vaccine; the UK is currently receiving 100 per cent of its orders, and has yet to export a single vial of the vaccine made in the UK, but AstraZeneca has cut its delivery forecasts to Europe to 30 per cent, hence the anger in Europe which believes that the split should be fairer and has threatened to block exports of other vaccines made in Europe to the UK if a more equal allocation cannot be agreed.
Images; Ayto-Elche. Mass vaccinations of teaching staff underway in Elche this week. The Mayor has urged all those called for their vaccines to attend the appointment.