About half of all people in their 50s in Spain have now received the first injection and at least four autonomous regions have already started inviting people in their 40s to come forward. This has already begun a new phase in the vaccination campaign.
Virtually all people over 60 (94%) have now received their first covid vaccination. The same applies to 45% of all people in their fifties. That´s three million inhabitants of Spain. The regions of Murcia, Andalucia, Castile-La Mancha and the Canary Islands have already started, or are about to in the coming days, with the age category 40 to 49 years.
The Spanish government wants to have a total of 10 million people fully vaccinated by the end of next week. Now 35.7% of all residents of Spain (17 million people) have received the first shot and 8 million people are now fully vaccinated. The successful progress of the vaccination campaign has ensured that the infection incidence in Spain has decreased to 128 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants.
AstraZeneca vaccine
All regions have also started administering the second injection to all employees under the age of 60 with essential professions. They received their first injection of the AstraZeneca vaccine in February and March. For this group, the vaccination process was delayed when rare cases of thrombosis were reported after administration of this vaccine.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) reported that the benefits outweighed the risk of serious side effects. However, Spain decided to investigate whether the second dose of AstraZeneca could be replaced with the Pfizer vaccine. Last week, the Health Commission announced that this is indeed the best option. But people can also opt for a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine should they wish.
People in their 50s in Spain will be vaccinated with the Pfizer, Moderna, or Janssen vaccines. Due to the irregular delivery of the Janssen vaccine, most will receive the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. In addition, Spain wants to use the Janssen vaccines as much as possible. This is because a single dose is sufficient, and would be better for groups that are difficult to reach, such as homelss people and migrants. People in their 40s are also likely to be vaccinated with a Messenger RNA vaccine, that is, Pfizer or Moderna.
Andalucia
In Andalucia, the vaccination of all residents under 40 years will start from 7 July. The vaccination of those in their fifties has already started. The following weeks people in their 40s will start. Last week, regional president Juan Manuel Moreno announced that 52% of the population over 16 years of age will be immunised by the end of May.
Aragon
The Aragón sub-council expects to administer 58,734 doses of vaccine from Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen this week. 15 thousand of these are the second vaccination. A spokesperson for the regional ministry of Health announced that he would not yet start vaccinating people in their forties.
Asturias
The Asturias sub-government will urge those people who have so far refused to receive their vaccination, to do so. In Asturias, 80% of all people over 16 have already received the dose of vaccine. 25% have already been fully vaccinated.
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands will receive 60,320 doses of vaccine this week, which will be used first in the 50 to 69 age group. Anyone within this group can make an appointment via the BITCITA website. 71% of people in their sixties and 30% of people in their fifties have now received the first dose.
Canary Islands
In the Canary Islands, all residents could make an appointment for vaccination from last Monday. More than 100,000 people have already done so. With the current 20,000 injections per day, the regional government foresees that all residents of the region will be fully vaccinated this summer.
Cantabria
In the Cantabria region, vaccinations with the second dose for all people in their 70s will be completed this week. In the coming days, the people in their late sixties will be injected with the first dose and soon the people in their fifties will begin.
Castile and León
The region of Castile and León received 85,410 doses of vaccine this week. 600 thousand inhabitants have now been fully vaccinated. This week, all people under 60 will receive their second dose of AstraZeneca. They can also choose to get their second shot with the Pfizer vaccine.
Castile-La Mancha
Next week, this region will start vaccinating all residents under the age of 50.
Catalonia
Catalonia will administer the second dose of AstraZeneca this week to all workers in essential professions. Also, all people under 60 who have received a first dose of this vaccine can make an appointment for their second shot, this time with the Pfizer vaccine. The region has also already started the vaccination of all fifties; 46% of them have had the first injection. The sub-board foresees that it will be the turn of the people in their forties in mid-June and a few weeks later all 16 to 39-year-olds.
Valencia
In Valencia, 247,146 doses of vaccine are being administered this week. The first dose for people in their 50s has now been started and the people in their seventies are receiving their second dose. It is expected that the vaccination of all people in their forties will start from 17 June. All people in their thirties will then have their turn in July. According to regional president Ximo Puig, half of the residents of Valencia are now “protected against the coronavirus in some way” (with a first or full vaccination or a previous infection with the virus).
Extremadura
The Regional Ministry of Health of Extramadura expects to be able to start vaccinating all people in their thirties in June. According to regional president José María Vergeles, group immunity was achieved at the current puncture rate at the end of July. In this region, 34% of all people in their fifties have now been vaccinated.
Galicia
In Galicia, all people under 60 who had already received a first AstraZeneca vaccine will now have their second shot of either this vaccine or the Pfizer vaccine. The campaign for all people in their 50s in the region will also continue this week.
La Rioja
In La Rioja this week the fifties will get their first and the sixties their second vaccination.
Madrid
In Madrid there is still uncertainty about the progress of the vaccination campaign for all people under 60 who have received a first dose of AstraZeneca. Here, the regional board has not yet decided how the choice of the second vaccine should be regulated by law. In the remaining regions, residents who choose the AstraZeneca vaccine for their second shot must give written consent. Madrid believes that this written consent applies precisely to people who choose the Pfizer vaccine for their second shot.
Murcia
At the beginning of June, the Murcia region will start vaccinating all people in their forties. These people will will soon receive a call for an injection appointment. Also this week, 16 thousand people under 60 years of age with essential professions are being called up who have received their first shot with the AstraZeneca vaccine. They must sign written consent before choosing both the Pfizer and AstraZenca vaccines.
Navarre
The Navarre region will also continue to vaccinate all people in their fifties this week. In mid-June, the vaccination of all people in their forties will start here. The vaccination campaign of all people under 60 in essential professions who have had their first AstraZeneca vaccine must also be concluded by June.
Basque Country
In the Basque Country, the entire procedure for people in their sixties is being completed and the procedure for all people in their fifties has now started. Until these procedures have been completed, no date will be issued for the vaccination of the forties.
Last Monday a start was made with the vaccination of all essential professional groups (mainly police employees and teachers) who are now receiving the Pfizer vaccine (or AstraZeneca if they wish) after their first AstraZeneca vaccine.
Ceuta and Melilla
In Ceuta, 75% of people in their 50s have now received their first vaccination. More than 27,600 residents have now had at least one injection. Last week the vaccination of all people in their forties started.
In Melilla, vaccinations started this week for all residents born in 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980.
