Covid vaccination program

Hi Barry,

This information has been shared on the forum several times and is available on the Spanish government's Covid-19 website page.  Please see below the information I posted on 18 January:

Spain has begun a step-by-step vaccination scheme, placing elderly in care homes and those that work in them as first in line to get the injection. Frontline health workers are also included in the priority group.

The vaccination programme will then be rolled out across the rest of the population, divided into groups depending on risk assessment, which broadly falls into age range, existing conditions etc. (more on that later).

What will it cost?

Spain has pledged that the vaccine will be free to everyone, even those who don't have a health card. “The vaccines and the vaccinations are free for all Spain’s population,” states the Spanish government on the webpage dedicated to FAQs on the vaccination programme.

Therefore we can expect everyone working or residing in Spain to be able to get the vaccine for free, even if they aren't registered in the Spanish state health system and no priority will be given to those with health insurance or wanting to pay for it privately – something which isn’t an option under the state vaccination programme. However, this is unlikely to include tourists or second home owners.

Should I contact my Centro de Salud?

On Spain’s government website page dedicated to the vaccination programme, there is a very clear message urging people to be patient and wait to be contacted by their regional health authorities.

“The Health Service of each Autonomous Community will contact the people to be vaccinated, following the established order of prioritisation.  It is important not to contact the health system individually about COVID-19 vaccination until then,” states the message.

How will they know to contact me?

There is no mention yet of how people will be told that it is their turn to receive the vaccine. 

Make sure that your documents are up to date so that you are in the system and they know how to find you. That means ensuring you are on the padron at your latest address and that you are registered with your local medical centre.

Keep checking the health authorities announcements online in the region where you are living, as each regional government will be responsible for administering the programme in their community.

When it is your turn to get the vaccine, and we don’t know yet whether these will be given at local medical centres or specially dedicated vaccine centres, you should take all the identification possible to prove who you and where you live: passport, residency certificate, proof of address (padron or utility bills) and medical card if you have one.

When can I get it?

Spain has a three-stage immunization plan which began at the end of December when the first vaccination (Pfizer) was given approval by the EU. The Moderna vaccine has also now arrived in Spain. Each phase will last approximately three months.

At present, Spain is in the first phase of vaccination scheme, which prioritises elderly people living in residential care homes and those that work in them, then healthcare workers and those that work on the frontline of the battle against coronavirus.

This first phase is expected to last until at least the end of February, by which time 2.5m of Spain’s most vulnerable will have immunity.

The second phase will rolled out in Spring and the final phase will continue over the summer months, with a view to Spain's entire population being covered by September.

When announcing the plan in December, Spain's heath minister, Salvador Illa, explained “The groups cover the entire Spanish population. On this basis, it will be decided who will have priority in stage 2 and 3. It will be a flexible decision, which will be made by the technicians when we have more data on vaccines and their availability. The strategy is going to be updated ”.

The next priority group has not yet been announced.

Source: The Local

Personally, given vaccine supply issues, I would be very surprised if the next phase is rolled out before the end of March.

Kind regards,

Kim

A news article Stated in the Euro Weekly News Costa Blanca South this week 28th January-3rd February page 10, All residents of Spain are eligible to receive Covid-19 vaccine, perhaps check out

www.euroweeklynews.com

My husband and I wil be 80 years old this year and not in good health my husband has dementia. Having read the article about the vaccine being given and when, am I right in thinking we have to wait until Spring? So, could this be as late as April? This is very worrying!

Our friends in the UK who are younger than us, in their mid 70's have received their vaccines. 

I would ge pleased to hear any news regarding when we will get a call to go for our vaccines. We know nothing since we don't speak or understand Spanish.

Thanks, Diane and Tony 

I am afraid only time will tell, if you are registered with a local health centre/Doctor perhaps they could help with your concerns, otherwise just keep looking/listening of what is going on around you’re area, or continue to search the internet, stay safe and healthy and all the best to you both.

Hi Diane,

Are you Spanish residents with SIP cards? If so, you're in the State healthcare system and will be contacted by your doctor or health surgery when you're scheduled to have the vaccine.  

Spain started vaccinating 2-3 weeks later than the UK and, in common with the rest of the EU, there is some doubt over availability of vaccine supplies, so the roll-out here will almost certainly continue be slower.

Stay safe.

Kind regards, 

Kim

It's a very confused situation at present, the EU spat with AZ is not helping.

Madrid has suspended vaccinations for 2 weeks and last week only received 1/2 of the 350,000 doses it was due to receive. 

Madrid's deputy leader has warned that at the current rate of roll out, it will take until 2023 before 70% of the population are inoculated. This should come as no surprise with politicians and their family and friends jumping the queue when they are not in any priority groups to receive the vaccination. The behaviour of those who are using their position and power to jump the queue is frankly indefensible.

Hi Pix Elated 

"Spain" has not suspended the vaccinations for 2 weeks, Madrid has.

Regards, 

Kim

Thanks Kim 

Very useful information, however I read today that spain is experiencing a massive shortage of any vaccine and cause of that the vaccination is to be halted in all regions for at least two weeks

It’s amazing how they got this so wrong given the fast spread of this disease in all regions 

So given this factor I can safely say that anyone who is not on critical list will not be contacted well into Late March or even April

So that is why we should all just follow the protocol and try to stay safe until Spain can sort out their vaccine shortage and receive enough to vaccinate everyone eventually 

Be safe and be very care

I agree, I have read that even small town mayors and their families have been able to jump the que well ahead of so called priority people

And if what the Madrid minister said is correct waiting till 2023 for 70% of population to be vaccinated is short of insult to people of this country 

I hope this will not be the case and they can for once get their act together and try to provide sufficient number of vaccines for all to be inoculated in shorter time than that