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Booster vaccines agreed for all adults: Here's what you need to know
14/01/2022
THIRD or booster vaccine doses for everyone aged 18 and over have now been agreed, and the minimum period between second and third jabs decreased from six to five months.
For anyone who is immune-compromised, a fourth dose will be administered.
All boosters will be RNA-messenger (RNAm) formulae – Pfizer or Moderna – irrespective of which was originally given last year.
Health minister Carolina Darías explains that although it has only recently been decided that everyone aged 40 or over would get a third dose, her department now considers it imperative to do so for the entire adult population in descending age order by decades.
As yet, a third jab has not been approved for children and teenagers, although youngsters aged five to 11 inclusive are currently being given their first and second injections, mostly during class time at their schools, although in some cases, at local health centres or with their classmates outside of lesson hours.
Vaccine strategy by age and health
The first to receive a third or booster were those considered high-risk cases, with this having been authorised on September 16.
They include transplant patients, dialysis patients, those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy, HIV-positive persons, people with cystic fibrosis, with Down Syndrome, those receiving medical treatment which suppresses their immune system – whether this is an intentional effect of the drugs or a side effect – and all residents in care homes.
This group can have their third dose at least 28 days after their second, and it was agreed this week that they will now have a fourth, at five months after the third.
Those aged 70 and over were 'signed off' for a third dose on October 5, and those aged from 60 to 69 inclusive on November 23; these can be given once at least five months have passed since their second dose.
People given the single-dose Janssen formula were a multi-faceted community who included the homeless, those who regularly work abroad and could be called away at any moment, such as diplomats, aid workers or offshore oil-rig operators, as well as temporary, seasonal workers who are only living in a specific area or only in Spain at all for part of the year.
The third dose was authorised for these people on November 15, to be given once at least three months had passed since their previous jab.
Healthcare and care workers were authorised for a third jab on November 23, whilst those aged 50 to 59 inclusive and the 40-49 age group were added to the list on December 16; in all these cases, a minimum of five months is required between second and third injections.
Anyone aged under 60 who had two doses of the AstraZeneca formula – the use of which has been discontinued in Spain since before summer – will have a Pfizer or Moderna not less than three months after their second jab.
For those aged 65 and under who have been fully vaccinated but have since become infected with Covid will be able to have a third dose once completely recovered and testing negative, or once four weeks since their diagnosis have elapsed, whichever is later, provided that five months have gone by since their second jab if this was a Pfizer or Moderna, or three months if it was a Janssen or AstraZeneca.
How Spain is progressing with its vaccine roll-out
To date, a total of 38,125,469 people in Spain have been fully vaccinated – double-jabbed in the case of those receiving the Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna, and single-jabbed for the one-dose Janssen formula – which translates to 90.5% of the population aged 12 and over, or just below 81% of the entire national headcount.
So far, over 16.8 million have been given a third dose – or a second, in the case of the Janssen, who would also have been given a Pfizer or Moderna.
As at the end of this week, nine in 10 of the 70-plus community have had their booster; nearly 84% of those aged 60-69; just over half the 50-59 age group, and 27% of those in their 40s.
So far, two-thirds of those who initially received the Janssen have been given a follow-up, and about 77% of people who had two AstraZeneca jabs.
Children aged five to 11 inclusive have to wait at least eight weeks between vaccines, rather than the three to four recommended for the adult population, and inoculation started for them on December 15.
So far, just over 38% of these pre-teens have had at least their first injection.
How soon will I get my booster jab?
Each person due for a third or fourth jab should be summoned by SMS in the same way as they were for the first two, although isolated cases of registered patients slipping through the net have been reported – to this end, if your age group has mostly been given their booster and you have not, it is recommended you check with your local GP practice.
If you qualify for a 'flu jab on the public health service due to age or medical condition, you will normally receive your Covid booster at the same time.
Concerning when you are likely to be called for a booster jab, this depends largely upon the average age of the population in your health service catchment area; as an example, younger adults will be waiting longer if they live in a district with a high population of pensioners than if their healthcare department is mostly young families, as it will take more time to get through the over-70 or the 60-65 groups in the former.
It also depends upon the headcount in your area health department – if this is sparsely populated, you will probably be reached much more quickly.
Most regions in Spain are now working on those in their 50s, although some are still completing the 60-69 age group and others are just starting on the 40s; Carolina Darías' ministry expects everywhere to be onto the 40-49 community by early March at the latest.
Related Topics
THIRD or booster vaccine doses for everyone aged 18 and over have now been agreed, and the minimum period between second and third jabs decreased from six to five months.
For anyone who is immune-compromised, a fourth dose will be administered.
All boosters will be RNA-messenger (RNAm) formulae – Pfizer or Moderna – irrespective of which was originally given last year.
Health minister Carolina Darías explains that although it has only recently been decided that everyone aged 40 or over would get a third dose, her department now considers it imperative to do so for the entire adult population in descending age order by decades.
As yet, a third jab has not been approved for children and teenagers, although youngsters aged five to 11 inclusive are currently being given their first and second injections, mostly during class time at their schools, although in some cases, at local health centres or with their classmates outside of lesson hours.
Vaccine strategy by age and health
The first to receive a third or booster were those considered high-risk cases, with this having been authorised on September 16.
They include transplant patients, dialysis patients, those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy, HIV-positive persons, people with cystic fibrosis, with Down Syndrome, those receiving medical treatment which suppresses their immune system – whether this is an intentional effect of the drugs or a side effect – and all residents in care homes.
This group can have their third dose at least 28 days after their second, and it was agreed this week that they will now have a fourth, at five months after the third.
Those aged 70 and over were 'signed off' for a third dose on October 5, and those aged from 60 to 69 inclusive on November 23; these can be given once at least five months have passed since their second dose.
People given the single-dose Janssen formula were a multi-faceted community who included the homeless, those who regularly work abroad and could be called away at any moment, such as diplomats, aid workers or offshore oil-rig operators, as well as temporary, seasonal workers who are only living in a specific area or only in Spain at all for part of the year.
The third dose was authorised for these people on November 15, to be given once at least three months had passed since their previous jab.
Healthcare and care workers were authorised for a third jab on November 23, whilst those aged 50 to 59 inclusive and the 40-49 age group were added to the list on December 16; in all these cases, a minimum of five months is required between second and third injections.
Anyone aged under 60 who had two doses of the AstraZeneca formula – the use of which has been discontinued in Spain since before summer – will have a Pfizer or Moderna not less than three months after their second jab.
For those aged 65 and under who have been fully vaccinated but have since become infected with Covid will be able to have a third dose once completely recovered and testing negative, or once four weeks since their diagnosis have elapsed, whichever is later, provided that five months have gone by since their second jab if this was a Pfizer or Moderna, or three months if it was a Janssen or AstraZeneca.
How Spain is progressing with its vaccine roll-out
To date, a total of 38,125,469 people in Spain have been fully vaccinated – double-jabbed in the case of those receiving the Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna, and single-jabbed for the one-dose Janssen formula – which translates to 90.5% of the population aged 12 and over, or just below 81% of the entire national headcount.
So far, over 16.8 million have been given a third dose – or a second, in the case of the Janssen, who would also have been given a Pfizer or Moderna.
As at the end of this week, nine in 10 of the 70-plus community have had their booster; nearly 84% of those aged 60-69; just over half the 50-59 age group, and 27% of those in their 40s.
So far, two-thirds of those who initially received the Janssen have been given a follow-up, and about 77% of people who had two AstraZeneca jabs.
Children aged five to 11 inclusive have to wait at least eight weeks between vaccines, rather than the three to four recommended for the adult population, and inoculation started for them on December 15.
So far, just over 38% of these pre-teens have had at least their first injection.
How soon will I get my booster jab?
Each person due for a third or fourth jab should be summoned by SMS in the same way as they were for the first two, although isolated cases of registered patients slipping through the net have been reported – to this end, if your age group has mostly been given their booster and you have not, it is recommended you check with your local GP practice.
If you qualify for a 'flu jab on the public health service due to age or medical condition, you will normally receive your Covid booster at the same time.
Concerning when you are likely to be called for a booster jab, this depends largely upon the average age of the population in your health service catchment area; as an example, younger adults will be waiting longer if they live in a district with a high population of pensioners than if their healthcare department is mostly young families, as it will take more time to get through the over-70 or the 60-65 groups in the former.
It also depends upon the headcount in your area health department – if this is sparsely populated, you will probably be reached much more quickly.
Most regions in Spain are now working on those in their 50s, although some are still completing the 60-69 age group and others are just starting on the 40s; Carolina Darías' ministry expects everywhere to be onto the 40-49 community by early March at the latest.
Related Topics
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