Alex Trelinski
BRITISH nationals living in Spain are perhaps getting somewhat inpatient over when they are likely to get their COVID-19 shots.
That’s because the UK vaccination programme is much more advanced compared to EU countries.
The Spanish priority schedule is similar to other countries in that the most vulnerable people are getting the injections first, like nursing home residents, health workers, and emergency staff like the police and firefighters.
The problem though is that Spain and the rest of the EU don’t have anywhere near the same access to doses that the UK has.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has regularly insisted that ‘70% of the population will be vaccinated by the end of summer’.
The next injection phase has started in parts of Spain which is to inoculate the over-80’s, but the process of administering the shots into the arms does vary from region to region.
The Valencian Community for example is exclusively concentrating on the over-90s for the moment.
Vaccinations will continue to be done in sequences based on age groups, so 70-79 and 60-69 are the next scheduled age bands.
In response to queries to UK nationals living in Spain, the British Consulate says:
- ‘British nationals who are part of the Spanish public healthcare system will be contacted by their local medical centre when it’s their turn for a vaccination.’
- ‘British nationals who have private healthcare cover should make contact with their provider in the first instance. We understand that public health authorities will liaise with private services to ensure that everyone gets a vaccine with the Spanish government making it clear that the vaccine will be available to everyone who lives in the country and wants to receive it’.
