People over 60 are a priority group for the Directorate-General of Public Health, as there is limited awareness of the risks that flu and Covid-19 may pose. This is reflected in vaccination coverage during last season's flu campaign, which reached 72% among people aged 80 and over and 52% among those aged 60 to 80. For this reason, Public Health has launched a specific campaign, which will begin in November.
In addition to people aged 60 and over, flu vaccination is especially recommended for people under 60 with risk conditions, such as chronic cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney or liver diseases, diabetes, morbid obesity, immunosuppression or cancer; pregnant women in any trimester of pregnancy and during the postpartum period; and staff at healthcare and social care centers, workers providing essential public services, and household members and caregivers of people at high risk.
CHILDHOOD VACCINATION
The campaign also targets children, as this year's main new feature is the extension of childhood vaccination to all boys and girls between 6 months and 11 years of age. They can be vaccinated at their health centers since October 19, also by booking an appointment through SaludInforma. Until the previous season, childhood vaccination was available only up to age 7.
The flu vaccination campaign began on September 28 in care homes for older people, among social care workers, pregnant women and people with severe dependency or very high risk. Between October 5 and 19, school vaccinations were carried out for pupils aged 3, 4 and 5 at 159 schools, with 4,208 students registered. Since October 19, people over 80, those at high risk and children have been receiving vaccinations at health centers.
