Those 70+ years can now receive their flu vaccine with booster covid dose

The Ministry of Health begins to vaccinate against the flu to the 700,000 older than 70 years old, along with the third dose of vaccine against Covid-19, in health centers. It will be by appointment to avoid crowding. The aim is also to ensure that, over the next two weeks, the most vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, users and workers in centres for the elderly or with functional diversity, and health professionals, are protected.

This has been announced by councillor Ana Barceló in the presentation of the campaign, for which 1,285,000 doses have been acquired, 8,900 more than in the previous season. The figure could be increased if necessary.

The aim is to immunize 75% of those over 65 years of age and socio-health workers, 70% of pregnant women and 60% of chronically ill women. In 2020, 67.4% of those over 65 years of age, 71.4% of pregnant women, 66.3% of residential homes and 93.8% of health personnel were reached.

According to Barceló, the flu “in principle is a banal process for the general population, but can lead to complications for risk groups”. Therefore, it is suitable for people over 65 years of age, people at risk of complications from the flu, as is the case of pregnant women or women who have just given birth, social and health personnel and essential public services.

They will begin to immunize those over 70, who will receive the flu vaccine along with a booster dose against the COVID-19 of RNA-m (i.e., the Pfizer and Moderna serums), an injection in each arm. In order to receive this third dose, it must have been at least six months since the second dose.

At the same time, in this first phase, which is to be completed in two weeks, pregnant women, residents and workers of centres for the elderly or with functional diversity, and health professionals will be vaccinated. Next, the rest of the risk groups will be vaccinated: people between 65 and 69 years old, people aged 64 and under with risk pathology and essential services personnel.

Barceló explained that the slogan chosen for the flu vaccination campaign is ‘Let’s get back on our feet’ as “a call to continue to contribute, to continue fighting after the vaccine against COVID and to continue joining efforts to protect ourselves and also to protect those around us”.

“A call to continue fighting after the COVID vaccine”

In this regard, he pointed out that it is still too early to predict how the flu will behave this year since the restrictions against the covid in force in the past have been reduced and that they managed to keep the flu virus virtually out of circulation: 1,651 cases in January 2019 compared to 3 in 2020. For this reason, it urged maintaining the mask, social distance, and indoor ventilation.