Spanish authorities have given the green light to anti-Covid booster shots for 50 to 59-year-olds as well as the members of the wider public who received the AstraZeneca vaccine for their first two jabs. This was approved by Spain's public health committee, after analyzing the proposal from the vaccine commission and giving its approval to these population groups.
A third dose of an anti-Covid vaccine is now recommended for Spanish residents between 50 and 59 years old, starting with the older part of the age group, and in Catalonia, the CatSalut authorities will advise when on-line bookings for these are to begin. As with the booster shot campaigns already underway for older age groups, the third dose will be carried out using a messenger RNA vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna, and will be available six months after the person had their second dose.
Subsequently, the committee advised, the booster shot will also be extended to the 40 to 49 age group.
What about those who had AstraZeneca jabs?
AstraZeneca vaccinations were largely received by workers in essential sectors in Spain, such as people in teaching professions, as well as police officers. Booster shots for these people - not just those over 60 but the entire population - have also been approved. However, they do not have to wait for six months, but rather will be able to book a booster shot three months after their previous dose.
Nevertheless, Spain's public health committee has stated that vaccination should prioritize those under 12, who have not yet received a vaccine jab at all, as well as the most vulnerable groups: those over 60 years of age. The same body also stated that people who received the Janssen (or Johnson and Johnson) jab - the single-dose vaccine - can also opt for the booster dose. In all cases, the vaccine for the booster shot will be a messenger RNA vaccine, such as Pfizer or Moderna, which testing has shown to be fully compatible with the other varieties.
Vaccination of children underway
This Wednesday, Catalonia started vaccinating children between 5 and 11 years old. At one of the key vaccination points, the Fira de Barcelona at Montjüic, a hundred Pfizer doses were administered. For the weekend, there are already 1,800 appointments, 1,200 on Saturday and 600 on Sunday.
In addition, coordinators are working to make more jabs available - "in all shifts and hours" in the coming days. A new "circuit" has been created for the smooth processing of those children arriving for their shot, in order to speed up the logistics of vaccination with the under-12s.
The jab given to this group is the Pfizer vaccine, but the dose administered is different. For this age group, a dosage that is one-third (10 mcg) of the adult shot (30 mcg) is administered. The dosage is the same for a 5-year-old as for an 11-year-old, and two doses should be given, between 4 and 8 weeks apart.
A Catalan-language information sheet of FAQs on vaccine doses for kids is available here.
Main image: Queues outside Seat house in Barcelona to receive a coronavirus vaccine / ACN