Madrid communities begin second phase of flu vaccination on Monday, covering children 6 months to 5 years old for the first time

This immunization coincides with simultaneous influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations through booster vaccinations for people over 60 years of age and high-risk groups of any age, such as people with chronic diseases and pregnant women. All this is carried out within the framework of a campaign coordinated by the Directorate-General of Public Health, with a budget of €19 million.

This investment enables the Ministry of Health to purchase 1.6 million doses of influenza vaccine, 100,000 more doses than will be used in 2022. To this we must add the 28,000 bottles of intranasal medication that children aged 4 and above will receive. They will be in 2023 (born in 2019) and are not immunosuppressed.

Between 16 and 29 October, priority will be given to people aged over 65 and the health and social care professionals who care for them. In the first week, a total of 232,442 vaccine doses were administered: 133,754 for influenza and 98,688 to protect against coronavirus.

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To access this service in the public primary care network, users must make an appointment with a caregiver. To do this, you have several options: in person at your health center; by calling the latter’s phone number and selecting option 3; through the Health Cita APP or the Community of Madrid website.

Also at the Community Vaccination Center of Madrid, located at 15 Calle General Ola in the capital; the Public Hospital of the Madrid Health Directorate (patients at risk); the Occupational Health Services of the Health Center and the resources of the Health Department of the Madrid City Council.

The regional executive agency is also working with the Official College of Physicians of Madrid to vaccinate health professionals and with the Enfermera Isabel Zendal public hospital to vaccinate all people who need protection from COVID-19, including co-members.

In line with international and national recommendations, injectable drugs adapted to the new Ómicron variant (XBB1.5) will be used to protect against this virus.

In order to raise public awareness of the need to adopt this protective measure, the Ministry of Health is distributing posters and information leaflets in health centers and reinforcing the message through radio programs and advertisements in newspapers, television and the media.

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On the other hand, also starting this Monday, the Madrid community will begin actively recruiting smokers via text messages to provide them with services to prevent the disease caused by the coronavirus. influenza. The applicability of this measure is explained because they are considered an immunization target audience of particular interest due to their health conditions.