“If they call us, we have to come.” This is one of the most repeated phrases among them. Yesterday, the first senior citizens rolled up their sleeves again to receive influenza and coronavirus vaccinations at health centers in A Coruña and at reference centers in the regional capital. Galicia’s dual protection campaign against respiratory infections continues, after vaccinating 4,200 citizens in nursing homes and care centers for persons with disabilities in the A Coruña Health District, as well as more than 2,500 neighbors with limited mobility who cannot leave their homes for various reasons , Since yesterday, all people over the age of 80 who do not fall into the first two categories have been summoned via mobile phone text message (SMS): nearly 45,500 people.
All day yesterday, in the morning and afternoon (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.), caregivers administered first doses of flu and COVID-19 vaccines to: People in that age group , a move they will repeat within ten days of the new phase of the dual vaccination campaign. “In the text message, health department To reference them, please set the exact date and time, but we will allow flexibility. However, they must arrive during the time slot they are called upon,” he explained. Cristina Gómez Lendoiro, vaccination coordination nurse at the Monte Alto Health Center, believes that the response among older people will again be high because “they are the most compliant.”
The start of vaccination against influenza and COVID-19 for people over 80 years old at primary health centers and reference centers in regional capitals is not the only new thing in the past few hours, because As of yesterday, children under 5 years old (6 to 59 months) can apply for flu vaccination. Health personnel, pharmaceutical professionals and citizens who are immunosuppressed will also be called out.
“Masks are not a word; “They protect us and they can protect us. “
The next phase will start on the 26th. After the vaccination of people over 80 years old is completed, vaccine syndrome A Corunians aged between 60 and 79, as well as those in high-risk groups, will pass through here to receive two injections. In total, there are more than 129,000 citizens.
Given the possibility of offering simultaneous (one dose in each arm) influenza and COVID-19 vaccines again this year, as was done during the last immunization campaign, Maria José Pereira Rodríguez, Head of Preventive Medicine and Occupational Health Services of the Health Region of A Coruña and Central and Eastern Europe, In a recent interview with this newspaper, he assured that “people can rest assured” because “that’s how it’s done.”
María José Pereira Rodríguez: “Adult vaccination is not a fad; it is a fad.” “It is a scientific achievement.”
“We have confirmed that there is no interference between the two vaccines and I think this is a good way to make life easier for citizens who need to protect themselves and, why not, also ensure that health professionals are exposed as much as possible Vaccination of more people takes the least resources or attention,” he explained, then, Dr. Pereira Rodríguez also drew attention to the fact that smokers have been “prioritized for the first time” for influenza vaccination and stressed the “importance” of vaccinating children under the age of 5. He noted that “last year, Vaccination coverage in this age group is very high and parents must be asked to continue this,” in which case pregnant women are also protected against the coronavirus.
“We must remind them that vaccination can save them from serious complications and insist that if they have had at least three vaccines (whooping cough, influenza and COVID-19 vaccines) they have nothing to fear because they are pregnant and in the puerperium . Not many; they are the ones they need,” warned the head of preventive medicine and occupational health of the A Coruña health region.