The Ministry of Health will promote the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 and influenza originally planned for October from September 25 next year. The decision comes in response to growing concerns about an increase in COVID-19 cases and the spread of influenza in recent months.
Due to the rise in cases, public health experts recommend administering both vaccines at the same time, which will help boost immunity in the population and reduce pressure on the health system.
The following priority groups are recommended for vaccination:
– All persons over 60 years old.
– People who are incarcerated in nursing homes, centers for the disabled or in prisons.
– People under 60 with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, morbid obesity or cancer.
– All pregnant women.
– Women who are more than six months postpartum and have not been vaccinated during pregnancy.
One of the most noteworthy developments is that immunization will be carried out using doses appropriate for the omicron variant, following the European Commission’s recent approval of the Pfizer vaccine specifically targeting the XBB 1.5 subvariant, which is currently causing an increase in infections.
In addition, vaccination is recommended for cohabitants of people who are highly immunosuppressed, such as those who have received a transplant. The advice also applies to all health professionals and essential personnel, such as national security forces and agencies, firefighters and civil protection services.