.jpg "Health authorities will start vaccinating people over 70 and those with high-risk medical conditions against flu and COVID-19 vaccines starting Monday")
Andalusia will start on Monday 16 October the second phase of the 2023/2024 influenza and COVID-19 vaccination campaign that started last week. Therefore, starting tomorrow, people over 70, children 6 months or older, adults with high-risk medical conditions, highly dependent people and their professional caregivers, and pregnant women will be able to receive both vaccines. From the same date, children aged 6 to 59 months (inclusive) will also receive the flu vaccine.
The campaign began last week to vaccinate residents of residential aged care and disability centres, the general population aged 85 or over, and staff in health and social care centres, residential and disability centres.
Likewise, students on placements in health and social care centres, residential and disability centres, and children aged 6 to 59 months (inclusive) attending calendar vaccine appointments can now receive the flu vaccine.
The Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs recommends that all target groups receive influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations to effectively and safely prevent serious infections from these viruses and avoid hospitalization. In this sense, he appreciates the responsibility and commitment shown by Andalusians in previous campaigns. In fact, during the last vaccination campaign in 2022/2023, Andalusia saw a record number of vaccinations, with almost 2 million doses administered. Likewise, it recognizes and values the efforts of health professionals, especially nurses, to ensure timely vaccinations.
During this campaign, the Junta Andalusia purchased 7.5% more influenza vaccines than in 2022, totaling 2.2 million doses.
This increase is largely due to one of the campaign’s most striking innovations: the lowering of the starting age for adult influenza vaccination, which now starts systematically at age 60, just like the COVID-19 vaccine.
The next phase will begin on October 30. From then on, people over 60 years of age will receive dual vaccination, and other professional groups such as security forces and institutions, prison institutions, and other professional groups such as veterinarians, farm workers or ranchers will receive influenza vaccination .
The final phase will begin in December, when people aged 60 or older or in high-risk groups in the household will be vaccinated against the flu and coronavirus.
People in the target group can book an appointment through the Salud Responde app or by phone, ClicSalud+ or at their health centre.
Regarding the coverage of the anti-influenza campaign in 2022-2023, more than 70% of people over 65 years old in Andalusia have been vaccinated; 46% of the group of children aged 6 to 59 months, for the first time they are included in the system’s vaccination coverage ; 81.3% are pregnant women; 50.6% are health and social health professionals.
Specifically, from October 3 to the end of April, a total of 1,953,383 doses of vaccine were administered, an increase of 206,662 doses compared to the 2021-2022 campaign. As a result, this year marks the highest number of flu doses administered in the history of Andalusia.
More information:
https://www.andavac.es/wp-content/uploads/instrucciones/Instruccion_DGSPyOF-10-2023_Gripe-Covid_Andalucia_2023-2024_(cambios_resaltados).pdf