INFLUENZA and Covid-19 vaccinations will commence in the Valencian Community on October 14.
The joint campaign will offer the vaccines in a staggered system, giving priority to those who could be at greater risk of complications due to the infection.
Valencian Health Minister, Marciano Gomez, said the vaccination strategy “will be carried out with the ‘aim of immunising the target population and the most vulnerable people as quickly as possible’.
Gomez pointed out that there was a vital need for target groups to be immunised.
“The effectiveness of both vaccines is demonstrated by the decrease in severe cases and complications secondary to influenza, such as pneumonia or the increased risk of myocardial infarction or stroke, which means fewer hospital admissions, especially in among those most at risk,” he commented.
The Ministry of Health has designated four priority groups and text messages will be sent to people advising them that the vaccinations are available.
Once those groups have been completed, jabs will become available to the general population from November.
The first group will be elderly residents of centres and those in hospital with chronic conditions.
Health workers and care home staff will also be vaccinated.
The second category will be people aged 60 and over who will get the vaccines at their local health centre, unless there are health issues which prevent them from travelling and they can therefore get them at home.
The third group consists of pregnant women and also people aged between five years upwards who are deemed as at ‘risk’.
The last section are people who work in essential public services or live with those who are at ‘risk’.
Also children between 5 to 18 years of age who have specific treatment, smokers, and anybody requesting it aged between 18 and 59 years.
During last year’s campaign, more than 1,162,000 people were vaccinated against the flu- the highest ever figure in the Valencian Community.
