Spain reveals fourth update of COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy
The document also includes a recommendation on how to vaccinate people who have already had the infection and stresses that it is not necessary to perform serological tests either before or after vaccination.
Friday 26th February 2021 | MIKE SMITH
The Ministry of Health has published a fourth update of the “Vaccination Strategy against COVID-19 in Spain” after an agreement was reached by the Public Health Commission, in which all the autonomous communities are also represented.
This update includes as a new addition compared to the third edition with the following groups to be vaccinated with mRNA: people from 70 to 79 years (group 5B), from 60 to 69 (group 5C), those under 60 with high-risk conditions for severe COVID -19 (group 7), and those aged between 56 and 59 (group 8). The definition of these groups has been carried out in anticipation of a greater availability of vaccine doses in the second quarter of the year.
In addition, the document specifies that, once the vaccination of groups with an essential function for society prioritized in the third update has been completed, the AstraZeneca vaccines will be administered to people between 45 and 55 years of age (group 9).
The update also includes vaccination recommendations for people with previous coronavirus infection, both asymptomatic and symptomatic. After reviewing the existing clinical studies, it is recommended that those over 55 years of age with a diagnosis of infection who have already received the first dose, will receive the second jab when they are fully recovered and the isolation period has ended.
In people under 55 years of age who havehad the infection symptomatically or asymptomatically, only one dose of vaccine will be administered six months after infection.
It should be noted that serological tests are not necessary either before or after these vaccinations.
The document recalls that the main risk group for hospitalization and death from COVID-19 are those aged over 60 years and that it increases as the person gets older. Therefore, it highlights that, based on the principles of necessity and equity, older people who are not in resident care should be vaccinated as soon as possible.
Update 4 also emphasizes that it is essential to consider the principle of solidarity so that vaccines that have proven efficacy in older age groups reach these people, bearing in mind that all vaccines available in Spain are safe and effective.
Full Document Available Below (in PDF format)
Information Source
Press Release – Ministero de Sanidad
