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Flu and Covid vaccinations officially began across Andalucía this Thursday 1 October, with the regional government putting more than €20 million behind the campaign to protect as many residents as possible this winter.

 

Antonio Sanz, Minister of the Presidency, Health and Emergencies, announced on Monday that €20.4 million has gone towards buying 1,955,000 doses of the flu vaccine, a slightly higher number than the 1,939,424 Andalusians who were vaccinated last year.

 

This builds on changes already announced for this year's campaign, including the high dose flu vaccine now being offered routinely from age 75 rather than 80, and care home residents, staff and other priority groups being vaccinated from the very first day rather than added later in the schedule.

 

Two popular initiatives from last year are making a return too. Health centres will hold walk-in vaccination days every Wednesday between 11 November and 16 December, giving people a chance to get their jab without an appointment. Alongside that, vaccinations will once again be offered at shopping centres across the region on two upcoming Saturdays, with dates still to be confirmed. The idea clearly struck a chord last time round, with more than 11,000 people vaccinated on a single shopping centre day alone.

 

Sanz was clear about why the campaign matters. "Anticipating risks, preventing illness and protecting the population" from winter respiratory viruses before they need medical treatment is the priority, he said, repeating his call for people to come forward and get vaccinated.

 

The wider calendar reflects that urgency too. Vaccinations for care home residents, three and four year olds at school, and young children at health centres began this Thursday. From 7 October, the programme opens to over 80s, people with severe disabilities living at home and their carers. Over 70s and under 60s with risk factors follow on the 14th, before the programme widens further on the 21st to include everyone 60 and over, along with state security forces, firefighters, prison staff and those working with animals.

 

The campaign actually started a little earlier than this, on 21 September, with RSV vaccinations for babies up to six months old, extended for the first time this year to care home residents and people with severe immunosuppression.

 

Sanz acknowledged that while flu and Covid cases remain low for now, they have begun creeping upward. "Although the incidence of respiratory viruses is still low, it has already begun to increase, so it is very important to anticipate and protect vulnerable people," he said.

 

 

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