Fourth COVID vaccine approved for over 60s

The Ministry of Health approves fourth dose of the covid vaccine for people over 60 years of age

The Public Health Commission of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System (CISNS) has approved this Tuesday the recommendation of the fourth dose of the vaccine against Covid-19 for those over 60 years of age, although especially for those with risk conditions.

However, the moment for its administration will be decided based on the epidemiological situation, the scientific evidence and the availability of the vaccines.

in April, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) advised a second booster for people over 80 years of age, pointing to the possibility of extending it to people between 60 and 79 and for high-risk groups of any age in the event of a new wave of covid like the one currently sweeping across Europe.

On June 9, the Public Health Commission approved this new dose for those over 80 and residents of residences but without setting a date, which it entrusted to the epidemiological situation; What the Ministry of Health has maintained since then is that it will most likely happen in autumn, coinciding with the arrival of the new vaccines adapted to the Omicron variant.

The recent increase in infections has caused the autonomous communities to demand that the Ministry accelerate the rate of vaccination, which was approved this week.

Ministry of Health approves monkeypox vaccine

On the other hand, the Public Health Commission has also approved vaccinating people at risk of pre-exposure to monkeypox. In total, the Ministry of Health will distribute a total of 5,300 doses among the autonomous communities, of which 1,835 will go to the Community of Madrid, the region with the most cases. Currently, the capital registers 1,272 confirmed cases. However the Ministry of Health warns that the Community of Madrid needs about 6,000 doses for vaccination against “pre-exposure” to monkeypox. The profiles of people already infected are being used to define risks of pre-exposure. 

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