JUST days after announcing that everyone vaccinated against Covid-19 with the single-dose Janssen formula would be given a Pfizer or Moderna booster, Spain's government has now revealed plans to treble-jab the population aged 60 to 69, as well as care workers and healthcare staff.
The ultimate decision for doing so will lie in the hands of each regional health authority, but it is likely that they will all follow central government recommendations to do so.
At present, all residents aged 70 and over who were vaccinated with the Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca are being given a third dose, either Pfizer or Moderna, at the same time as their annual influenza jab, and this will now extend to those aged 60 and over as well as front-line medical and care home staff and those employed as home carers.
The 'flu jab is given automatically to all residents aged 65 and over, or younger if they have health problems that make them more at risk of either catching 'flu or becoming seriously ill if they did.
Those who have not already had theirs and are aged under 70 are likely to be given their third Covid dose at the same time, but those who have had the influenza vaccine or do not want to wait will either be summoned by their local health authority when the third Covid dose is in place for their age group, or can book an appointment specially.
This is strongly advised, in fact, since the date upon which third injections for those aged 60 and over will start has not yet been set, and it could be risky to delay a 'flu jab on this basis.
Under-70s of any age who are immune-compromised should already have been called for their third Covid jab at the same time as the 70-plus community.
Spain's president Pedro Sánchez said the aim was to keep the vaccination process running 'without interruption' in a bid to 'keep contagion rates low', given that the country has one of the lowest rates of Covid in Europe at present.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com