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ARCHIVED - Covid booster jabs offered to over 50s in Alicante
Men over 55 account for 50% of ICU admissions in Alicante province
With hospital admissions on the rise and primary care services coming under increasing pressure, Alicante has begun to redouble its vaccination efforts with people over the age of 50 now being called for their booster jabs. Although Spain celebrated a bank holiday this week for the Three Kings, the local health authorities will continue to send out appointments via text throughout the weekend.
"The immunisation campaign is going to remain active both this Friday and during the weekend, and next week paediatric vaccination will also be resumed in schools", the department confirmed.
On Sunday January 9, vaccinations will be administered at the General Hospital of Alicante while people will be called for their booster on Saturday at the Hospital de la Vila Joiosa, the Hospital de Sant Joan and the General University Hospital of Elche.
"Once the immunization of these people from 50 to 59 years of age has been completed, Health will begin to summon those over 40 to also administer the extra dose", health authorities added.
According to the latest data released, the Valencian Community is now the fourth in Spain for administering the booster Covid vaccine.
The priority now is to offer the third dose to as many over 50s as possible as ICU doctors confirm that the vast majority of people currently hospitalised fall into this age group.
"The change introduced by the Omicron variant on the majority profile in ICUs is, in short, the decrease in admissions, and more than half are men over 55 years of age and some degree of obesity", José María Núñez from the Hospital of Elche explained.
The Delta variant is still responsible for most of the cases in Alicante and while Omicron is on the rise, it is not translating into hospitalisations as the symptoms thus far appear to be far less serious.
Nevertheless, the experts warn that the strain can result in devastating complications in those with underlying health problems and that it would be a mistake to believe that Omicron “is lighter and has no impact”.
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