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Spain to offer Covid-19 booster shots to over 60s and health workers

The Local Spain/AFP
The Local Spain/AFP - [email protected]
Spain to offer Covid-19 booster shots to over 60s and health workers
A nurse from the pediatric surgery department gets vaccinated against the Covid-19 at the Vall d'Hebron hospital in Barcelona on January 4, 2021. - The Spanish government expects to have between 15 million and 20 million people out of its population of 47 million vaccinated against the novel coronavirus by June. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP)

Spain will provide Covid booster vaccines to those aged 60 and over as well as health staff, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Wednesday, as infections continue to slowly rise in the country.

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Spain will offer a Covid-19 booster shot to people above the age of 60, whereas previously the Spanish government had set the age limit at 65.

During an official visit to Turkey, PM Pedro Sánchez said the key to fighting the pandemic is to “continue this successful vaccination strategy in our country”.

The Spanish leader did not say when these booster doses would start to be given to over 60s and health workers, but over 65s have already started receiving their booster vaccine in many Spanish regions in November.

First the decision will have to be ratified by Spain's Interterritorial Health Council in which the national Ministry of Health and Spain's regional authorities have to decide how to go about incorporating these new groups into Spain's booster vaccination plans. 

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FIND OUT MORE: What you need to know about getting a Covid-19 booster shot in Spain 

As of November 17th, around 2.9 million people have received this reinforcement dose in Spain. 

Spain continues to have one of the highest Covid-19 vaccination rates in the world.

Around 79 percent of Spain’s entire population is fully vaccinated, compared to just 68 percent in Britain and Germany and 75 percent in France. Among those eligible (over 12s), almost 90 percent are fully vaccinated.

Spain’s 14-day average infection rate has climbed to 96 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. It’s been gathering pace every day, but it remains below that of neighbouring countries.

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