The influenza vaccination campaign, which started in residential settings on October 3, will be available to all target groups from Tuesday and will be administered together with the coronavirus vaccine.
Therefore, from October 10, the campaign starts for the entire target group, with the addition this year of children from 6 months to 5 years old and smokers, in addition to the elderly, which will also be launched in conjunction with the coronavirus campaign. Vulnerable groups such as those over 60 years old, social health workers, pregnant women, etc.
Another new feature this year is that babies will also receive immunization against bronchiolitis during the fall and winter months. Therefore, people born after October will be treated in hospitals, while those born after March will have to go to their health centers. 13,000 doses of this vaccine have been purchased at a cost of 2.8 million euros.
The commission has purchased 805,500 doses of the vaccine, which represents a cost of €10.5 million
In the 2023-2024 campaign, the Ministry of Health purchased 805,500 doses of influenza vaccine, which represents a total expenditure of €10,527,058, including the new intranasal vaccine for children aged 2 to 5 years.
Regarding the flu, the campaign will target those who are at higher risk of developing complications from the flu, as well as those who may be at higher risk of transmitting the flu to other complications. In principle, we do not intend to extend the campaign to the entire population, but once immunization of the target group is complete and doses remain, anyone who wishes can request to be vaccinated.
Protect the most vulnerable
Likewise, the aim of covid-19 vaccination is to enhance the protection of the most vulnerable groups and health and social care personnel, in order to reduce morbidity and mortality and the impact of the disease on care capacity.
Influenza and coronavirus vaccinations are recommended for people 60 years or older; people 5 years or older in disability centers and nursing homes, and other long-term institutionalized and closed facility residents; high-risk people under 60 years of age and those who are pregnant Pregnant women in any trimester.
Flu and coronavirus vaccines recommended for large numbers of people
In addition to this, people living with highly immunosuppressed people and staff in public and private health and social care centers are included.
The Department of Health also recommends that children 6 months to 5 years old receive the flu vaccine. This is an innovation in the immunization schedule, which provides for intramuscular vaccination for children aged 6 to 23 months and intranasal vaccination for children aged 2 to 5 years.
School
In addition, the target groups include education center staff of any education level and people between the ages of 5 and 59 who are at higher risk of influenza complications, with smokers also being a new group.
Regarding the Covid-19 vaccine, a monovalent vaccine will be administered during the 2023-2024 season to ensure protection against circulating strains. Castile and Leon will have received more than 400,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines by the last week of October. So far, nearly 26,000 doses of the vaccine have arrived at the Territorial Health Service.