Balearic health minister Patricia Gómez is urging as many people in risk groups as possible to get a flu jab. She said on Friday that the flu vaccine is capable of partially protecting against coronavirus infection, adding that someone who becomes infected by both is three times more likely to die.
The Balearics has one of the lowest flu vaccination rates in the country. This isn't because there aren't sufficient doses for risk groups. It is because only some 45% of the risk groups get a jab. The government is aiming to get to 75% of the over-65s and health professionals and 65% of people with chronic illnesses and also pregnant women.
IB-Salut has 262,710 doses. Of these, 4,200 high-load doses will be for residents of care homes for the elderly and 35,000 will be boosted vaccines for the over-65s.
The vaccine campaign starts on Monday and will run until December 4. Health centres will open over two weekends in order to cope with additional demand: October 24/25 and October 31/November 1. Calls to arrange for vaccines can be made to 971 437 079.
The health service has added a further group to those who are categorised as being at risk. This is women who have given birth in the past six months.
Asked whether pharmacies might be asked to give flu jabs, the director general of public health, Maria Antònia Font, said that the primary health care system will be able to manage.
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