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Date Published: 23/09/2022

ARCHIVED - Murcia will offer joint flu and Covid jabs to over-60s

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

Health authorities in the Region are worried that flu will be “more contagious” this year

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Murcia will offer joint flu and Covid jabs to over-60s

The regional Minister of Health, Juan José Pedreño, has confirmed that Murcia will offer vaccinations against both Covid and the flu at the same appointment to people 60+ from next month.

As with the rest of Spain, the vaccination campaign for the fourth coronavirus jab will kick off this coming Monday (September 26), beginning with those living and working in nursing homes and centres for people with disabilities.

The Ministry has taken delivery of another 6,000 flu vaccinations today and, pending new shipments, will begin inoculating two weeks early in order to “protect the most vulnerable”.

In all, 446,000 doses of the flu jab have been ordered by the regional health authorities this year, at a cost of 5.3 million euros, 48,000 more than last year.

From October 6, anyone over the age of 60 can avail themselves of the anti-flu and anti-Covid vaccinations at their local health centre. Double vaccination appointments will also be open to certain priority groups, including pregnant women, home caregivers and the chronically ill.

Beginning on November 5, parents will be able to inoculate children under the age of 5 against influenza, which is actually the demographic that was hardest hit during the latest flu season.

While the health minister has reminded citizens that it’s important to get vaccinated against flu “every year”, it is all the more crucial in 2022. At the height of the pandemic, its virulence was significantly reduced by social distancing, mask-wearing and a focus on hand-washing. Now that these control measures have been removed, Mr Pedreño has warned that influenza could come back this autumn and winter “more strongly” and be “more contagious”.

With the current inoculation plan, the Region of Murcia looks set to be “one of the communities with the most complete vaccination schedule” for the coming months.

Image: Archive

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