Date Published: 16/02/2021
ARCHIVED - Vaccination of over 80s will take until end of April in Murcia region
ARCHIVED ARTICLE
Anyone under 80 who is not in a high priority group will probably be waiting until May for a Covid vaccine unless supplies increase significantly
Vaccinations for the over 80s have begun this week in the Cabeza Beaza pavilion in Cartagena and throughout this week, a total of 600 doses of Moderna's vaccine will be administered to residents within easy driving distance of the Cartagena sports centre.
Those in line to receive these vaccines will be contacted by phone, from oldest to youngest and the campaign amongst the over 80s will also begin in other parts of the region later in the week.
The health department expects to vaccinate 5,000 over 80s this week from 35 different vaccination points.
The health department estimates that a month and a half will be needed to vaccinate the 70,000 people over the age of eighty in the Region of Murcia , but the Ministry of Health estimates that unless the volume of vaccines being sent to the region is not increased in the coming weeks, the vaccination campaign in just this one group will not conclude until April. "We need many more doses than those that are reaching us at the moment," the spokesperson for the Covid Monitoring Committee in the Region, Jaime Pérez, commented yesterday.
When added to the fact that six out of ten people in the groups considered to be in the first phase have not yet received their second dose and that the AstraZeneca vacines being allocated to the Region are only being used on those aged 18-55, the expectation of all those considered pensioners and over the age of 65 should be that they will not receive even a first vaccine until May.
Jaime Pérez confirmed yesterday that lack of vaccines is the principal problem facing the regional health service and that although 200 odd venues had been identified to enable the department to carry out mass vaccines, this programme cannot logically begin until more vaccines are available.
The over 55s are only being vaccinated with Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and although the Ministry received 16,380 doses of Pfizer yesterday, and 17,500 will arrive next week, in March only 14,000 weekly doses will be delivered according to current scheduling.
Moderna vaccines being administered to police, Guardia Civíl and Civil Protection personnel
In addition to the programme in over 80s and high priority groups using Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the immunization of essential personnel using AstraZeneca vials has also begun. This is being used on the 18-55 year olds and in accordance with the guidelines published by the Minsitry of Health last week, is being administered to health professionals, police, Guardia Civíl, Civil Protection personnel, firemen, dentists, teachers and those in close contact professions.
As of Monday, the Murcia region had only received 100,105 vaccines in total. Of these, 37,453 high priority individuals have received their two doses and in total, 52,925 first doses have been administered.
With a population of just under 1.5 million, there’s a long way to go before any level of immunity can be considered to be in place.
Image; the vaccination campaign of the over 80s begins in the Cabezo Beaza sports centre in Cartagena. Ayto-Cartagena