The cancellation of vaccination appointments, which began last Wednesday, has barely changed the percentage of people vaccinated in Ibiza, according to data provided by the Balearic Islands health department on the flu vaccination campaign. In this sense, the vaccination rate on the island has increased by only half a percentage point in one week, the Ministry of Health told the magazine Ibiza and Formentera yesterday. Low vaccination coverage in Ibiza and other parts of the Balearic Islands worries regional health minister Manuela García. This was elaborated on in the Bona Nit Pitiüses program of the Televisió d’Eivissa i Formentera (TEF), where he expressed concerns about low coverage data, especially among at-risk groups and children.
Currently, only 10.55% of the target group under five years of age have received the influenza vaccine. “Last week, the vaccination rate for children under five was 9.9% and seven days later it had risen to 10.55%,” they explained from Health. As for people over 60 years old, in the current anti-epidemic actions targeting high-risk groups, the coverage rate of the target group is only 39.81%. This rate is low if we take into account the progress of influenza and the vaccine rollout carried out by the Ministry of Health. If no further steps are taken, the total influenza vaccination coverage will be less than 20% of the island’s vaccinated population.
“Since the start of the vaccination period, the Ministry of Health has been conducting a promotional campaign for several weeks to provide information to the population,” they explained, adding that in the case of minors, it was “very important” to “encourage” parents to vaccinate their children. Important kids. . Asked about this low coverage, they yesterday insisted there was “vaccine fatigue” due to the pandemic among adults, despite a suppression of advance bookings. Regarding children, they noted that this year for the first time minors aged 6 to 59 months will be included in the campaign, as they are considered the main communicators.
Additionally, they said data shows children are particularly vulnerable to severe flu symptoms and hospitalization.
lowest level
However, the lowest vaccination rate is among those aged 5 to 59 years, at 5.87%, similar to the rest of the Balearic Islands. In this sense, Public Health Director Antònia Elena Esteban recognizes that, despite the absence of high influenza incidence data, the level of vaccination in people under 60 years of age is very low this year, recalling that there are always two peaks: one is at Christmas and another time in February.
It is worth remembering that this year we are paying special attention to the most vulnerable groups, such as those over 60, people with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, emergency medical personnel, security forces, smokers and farm workers. with animal.