Several people wait their turn to be vaccinated against covid-19, last Sunday at the fronton of the Public University of Navarra Villar Lpez
Spain will fail to comply with the first immunization objective set by both the country and the European Union: vaccinate 80% of those over 80 years of age in March.
On the day that the month ends, less than 70% of the population of that age group has received the first dose, a proportion that drops to less than a third for the complete regimen, according to data from the autonomous communities compiled by EL PAÍS.
There is no official figure from the Ministry of Health and it is difficult to know the exact data, since not all communities contribute it and they do not always do so in a homogeneous way (some include the elderly in residences in the percentage and others do not), thus that the calculation of this newspaper is approximate.
The percentage varies between autonomies: between 37% of first doses in Catalonia, which is the furthest behind by far, and 77.1% in the Canary Islands.
Most communities are between 60% and 70%.
When referring to the target of 80%, which the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, has reiterated on more than one occasion, has avoided specifying whether they were referring to a first dose or the complete regimen.
If you talk about the first puncture, it is very possible that 80% of the population over 80 years will be exceeded next week.
Every day an average of almost 120,000 Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are being inoculated, which are destined for this age group, made up of 2.8 million people, of which approximately 300,000 were inoculated in the first phase of the plan because they were in residences.
In other words, five percentage points can be advanced each day among the non-institutionalized elderly, although this correlation is not exact, because punctures are divided between first and second doses.
As of April, if the forecasts are met, 1.2 million a week will arrive, from Pfizer alone, enough to exceed 80% and reach full immunization of the elderly throughout the month.
In several interventions, for weeks, Fernando Simón, director of the Center for the Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies, has clarified that the objective would be fulfilled rather in early April.
To continue with the rate of vaccination, most of the autonomous communities will continue to inject doses during Holy Week, including holidays.
At least as long as vaccines are available.
The Generalitat of Catalonia, for example, plans to end those scheduled on Thursday.
If they are left over, they will continue.
"But we will not stop vaccinating on Thursday to say that we vaccinate on Sunday", explained this Tuesday the Secretary of Health of the Generalitat, Josep Maria Argimon.
Madrid will stop vaccinating people over 80 years old during holidays, since health centers close, which is the place that this group has been awarded.
However, it will continue with other groups in precincts set up for this purpose.
It will also be one of the first communities to start vaccinating minors of this age.
It will start with those who are between 77 and 79 years old, despite the fact that only 61.4% of those over 80 have the first dose on.
The rate of vaccination of the elderly is crucial, since they are by far the ones who suffer the most from the most serious covid and deaths from this disease.
More than 60% of those who have died in Spain since June were over 80 years old.
This is especially critical when the fourth wave is taking shape in Spain.
The accumulated incidence began to rise two weeks ago: this Tuesday it reached 146.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days.
The Health traffic light considers that the risk is high from 150, among other indicators that also take into account the healthcare pressure, which are at high values, according to these scales that the ministry agreed with the communities.
Especially the occupation of ICUs, which has stopped decreasing.
18.5% of the beds in these units are occupied by covid patients, and that counting, not only the structural beds, but all those that can be enabled in cases of extreme need, such as operating rooms.
In addition, although there is some overlap between groups, until the vast majority of those over 80 are not vaccinated, it will not be the time for those between 70 and 79, who wait their turn while those under 65 have already begun to receive AstraZeneca doses.
The Public Health Commission, a body of the Interterritorial Council made up of members of the ministry and the autonomous communities, agreed on Tuesday to eliminate the age limit for this vaccine, but only for essential workers.
That is, for practical purposes it will be a very small number of people over 65 who will be inoculated.
This is the vaccine that lags the most, after the eight-day stoppage that occurred when thrombi were identified that occurred after inoculation.
There were once a million AstraZeneca doses in warehouses, but this number has dropped to 590,902 in one week.
In general terms, in Spain 90% of the doses that have come from the three pharmaceutical companies that are supplying today in Europe have been injected, according to the latest Health report.
These are the figures for the 17 autonomous communities ordered by population from highest to lowest.
Andalusia
Andalusia has administered 1,378,743 doses of vaccines from all laboratories, which represents 93.6% of those received.
According to data from the Ministry of Health and Families, 5.8% of the population, 502,538 people, is already immunized with the two doses;
while 10.12% (876,132) have received the first.
69.5% of those over 80 years of age already have the first dose;
and of them, 47.9% have completed the guideline.
Health's forecast is that before April 10, all those over 80 in the community have received at least one dose.
In the group of State Security Forces and Bodies, 70.7% have been reached with the first dose;
while among the Education staff it is reached 66%.
On the other hand, this Monday the vaccinations for the general population between 65 and 55 years old who will be vaccinated with AstraZeneca began in Almería capital, in Almonte (Huelva) and in Ronda (Málaga).
Catalonia
Catalonia is focused on speeding up vaccination for those over 80 years of age.
It is the community most lagging behind and only 37% of this group has received the first dose, but the department expects to have reached the entire population of this age by mid-April.
From then on, the punctures of the elderly population will be combined with those between 70 and 79 years old.
The Health department has completed the vaccination schedule for 91% of institutionalized people and 75% of health workers.
The administration process to dependent groups and people in home care also follows: 73% have already received the first dose.
In addition, essential professionals are being vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
In total, Catalonia has administered a total of 1,223,536 vaccines, close to 90% of those received.
Madrid
In Madrid, the vaccination of those aged 80 and over and the highly dependent will be paralyzed from Thursday to Sunday.
The appointment and administration of these two groups is done in the health centers, which will be closed on the next holidays.
In the elderly group, with 330,000 people as the target population, until last week 307,902 vaccines from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer had been administered: 202,832 first doses and 105,070 both, that is, Madrid has 31.8% of the full schedule of this group.
Starting this Tuesday, those between 60 and 65 years old will be vaccinated at the Wanda Metropolitano and mutualists between 78 and 79 years old at Isabel Zendal;
and as of next week the 77, 78 and 79-year-olds will start in the health centers.
In total, the Community has 342,872 people with the complete guideline, 5.05% of the population.
So far the Community has received 1,128,405 doses of which 1,026,074 have been administered, 90.9%.
Valencian Community
65% of those over 80 years of age have already received at least the first dose of the vaccine and 38% have already inoculated both doses in the Valencian Community.
The Ministry of Health plans to administer a total of 120,000 doses of vaccines against covid-19 this week, aimed at those over 80 and the rest of teachers (with Astrazeneca).
Second doses will continue to be vaccinated on Good Friday and Easter Monday.
When the vaccination of the teaching staff concludes next week, the counseling will begin to vaccinate people 65 years old, and in reverse order until 55. Thus, it will begin with those born in 1956 and who are now 65 years old, and later Depending on the AstraZeneca vaccines, the doses will be inoculated to those born in subsequent years and who are therefore younger.
Galicia
The objective of the Xunta de Galicia is that by the end of Holy Week all those over 80 years of age in the community have received at least the first dose.
According to the latest data, 60% of the non-institutionalized are already wearing it (those who live in residences have already completed the vaccination).
Castile and Leon
Castilla y León has vaccinated 64% of those over 80 years of age with the first dose.
According to the latest vaccination report from the Ministry of Health, the community has administered 90% of the doses that have reached it.
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands have already completed the complete immunization of residents and health workers.
In the group of large home dependents, 72.2% are immunized with the two doses;
and in those over 80 years of age, 77.1% have received the first dose and 21.7%, both.
At the same time, progress is being made with AstraZeneca doses for people under 65 years of age.
The Canary Islands Government has announced that the vaccination calendar will continue to advance every day of the week, including weekends and Holy Week holidays in order to vaccinate as many people as possible.
Basque Country
7.24% of the population has received one dose and is waiting for the second.
Currently 44.4% from 80 to 89 years of age are still waiting for the vaccine.
People between 66 and 80 are still waiting to be vaccinated and waiting for the vaccination to be completed in these people over 80 years of age.
72% of the elderly, between 90 and 99 have already been immunized and 92% of those over 100. Also 99% of residents in nursing homes and 91% of Osakidetza staff.
The community will continue to vaccinate at Easter.
Castilla la Mancha
In Castilla-La Mancha, the Holy Week holidays will not influence vaccination.
A spokesman for the regional government says that "the risk of the virus does not stop on vacation and it cannot stop the vaccination process".
It also affects the fact that this region and Castilla y León are the two "with the largest population in Spain, in relative terms over the population as a whole".
Autonomy has already received 388,535 doses, of which it has injected 340,556, 87.7%, and has 117,527 citizens with the full schedule, 5.74% of its population.
Among the population over 80 years of age, 106,557 vaccines have been inoculated, "60%" of that group, figures the same spokesperson, who adds: "Our goal is to complete the process with this group in two weeks.
And to have also vaccinated all those over 70 at the end of May ”.
In the educational group they have administered 24,592 doses since last Thursday and Ciudad Real and Talavera de la Reina (Toledo) have already concluded this vaccination phase.
The calculation to finalize this group was given this Monday, at a ceremony in Talavera, by President Emiliano García-Page: "On Wednesday we are going to finish the vaccination of all teaching workers."
Meanwhile, the Community will continue the campaign with AstraZeneca.
"It will be based on the vaccines that reach us and the process could also be accelerated, depending on the protocol and how many doses arrive from Janssen," concludes the spokesperson.
Murcia region
In Murcia, parallel vaccination of those over 80 years of age and of essential groups continues.
Among the former, a coverage of 52.2% in first doses has been achieved among those who are not in residences.
The Ministry of Health ensures that the rate of vaccination with Astrazeneca after the break is being as planned depending on the doses that are arriving.
This week will be completed the vaccination of the bulk of the professionals of the State Security Forces and Bodies and the teaching community, including those over 55 years old, says a spokeswoman.
Aragon
Aragon plans to distribute 36,662 doses of covid-19 vaccines this week.
18,260 doses of AstraZéneca, 18,042 of Pfizer and 360 of Moderna will be distributed.
Of these, 6,638 will be destined for people over 80 years of age, 297 for health personnel and residences, 11,467 for second doses and 18,260 for population groups vaccinated with AstraZéneca.
With the distribution of the AstraZeneca doses, the availability to all centers to vaccinate caregivers of large dependents and new incorporations of workers in residences will be guaranteed.
Also, as of next Monday, April 5, the immunization process of people between 61 and 65 years will begin, starting with the oldest.
For this last group, 11,160 doses are destined to be distributed in 112 health centers throughout the community.
These days 22,230 doses of Pfizer and 13,600 doses of Moderna will be received.
Predictably at the end of the week or the beginning of the next, a consignment of AstraZeneca could arrive with 28,000 doses.
Sources from the health department explain that the vaccination of 34.6% of those over 80 years of age has been completed, while 63% have received the first dose.
On public holidays on Thursday and Friday, only mutualists over 80 years of age will be vaccinated.
Until March 29, Aragon has administered 243,531 vaccines, 87,288 of them correspond to the second dose.
In total, 86.28% of vaccines have been administered with respect to the available doses.
Balearics
In the Balearic Islands, 93.5% of the doses received have been administered.
The vaccination process has ended among the users and workers of the residences where 82% of the workers and residents have been vaccinated with the two doses.
Among first-line hospital personnel, vaccination reaches 86.5% with the first dose and 83% with the full schedule.
In the group of highly dependent patients and their caregivers, 61% have received the first dose and 45% already have both.
Of those over 80 years of age on the islands, 49% have received the first dose and 13% already have the full regimen.
Since February 27, the community has been vaccinating the 25,000 teachers who work on the islands.
Among nursery and primary school teachers, immunization reaches 61% of the group with the first dose.
Since March 8, the civil guards, national police, emergency services, firefighters, members of the civil defense and the armed forces also began to be vaccinated.
Among these essential professions, vaccination reaches 70% with the first dose of the 6,907 called to be immunized.
From the Infovacunacovid central dependent on the Health Service, the 55-year-old group will be cited first, which already had an appointment for last week and was canceled after the vaccination with Astrazeneca was suspended.
Immediately afterwards, the group of between 55 and 65 years of age will be cited from the group of teachers, essential professionals, veterinarians, psychologists and physiotherapists starting with those of 65 years.
This group will also be vaccinated with AstraZeneca after the decision taken by the Interterritorial Council.
In the case of those over 80 years of age, they are summoned to the health center, although there are also teams that travel to the homes of people with mobility difficulties.
49.6% received the first dose and 12.9% the second.
Estremadura
In Extremadura, 57.49% of those over 80 years of age who live at home have been vaccinated (not including those over 80 who live in residences).
Vaccinations have also begun in some areas for those who are 79 and 78 years old.
In addition, it is ending with essential groups, such as teachers and police ... In the autonomous community will be vaccinated every day of Easter at the rate that allows the number of doses that have been received this week.
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias began last week to vaccinate people under 65 years of age with doses of AstraZeneca and is being made compatible with those over 80, a population that is expected to be fully immunized between this week and next.
63% of this group have already received at least one dose.
The intention of the regional government is, as long as there are units, to continue vaccinating on holidays and each of the eight health areas will structure itself to distribute the vaccines that reach them.
Navarre
The percentage of people over 80 years vaccinated in Navarra is 70%.
Likewise, 25% have received the second dose (also counting people in residences).
The immunization process for this age group continues this week, and the vaccination will continue on the holidays of next Easter.
From Tuesday to Friday, 2,700 people are expected to be vaccinated in the sports center of the Public University of Navarra (Pamplona), while, on the weekend (April 3 and 4), 1,620 people are summoned in that space, who will receive the second dose.
In turn, the campaign is reaching different rural areas of the entire community this week (such as Lesaka, Peralta, Carcastillo or Peralta, among others).
Cantabria
Cantabria has not provided the percentage of older people vaccinated.
According to the latest vaccination report from the Ministry of Health, the community has administered 89.3% of the doses that have reached it.
The Rioja
La Rioja is vaccinating essential workers, other health and social health workers, over 80 years old, people aged 65 and under.
To date, around 83% of those over 80 have been vaccinated, 6,000 with one dose (43.93%) and 7,800 have received the full regimen (59%).
This week it is expected to vaccinate 7,600 older people.
Last weekend more than 5,000 vaccines were dispensed in the community and this Wednesday the stock of AstraZeneca (used for the vaccination of teachers, other essentials and population of 65 and below) will be depleted.
La Rioja will vaccinate those over 80 years of age until Saturday.
Therefore, it will also be vaccinated on Thursday, Friday and Holy Saturday.
As of March 30, 61,733 doses have been inoculated throughout the community, 93.5% of the total received.
20,528 Riojans have already completed the vaccine schedule.
The community will continue with the immunizations at Easter.
With information from
Margot Molina, Bernat Coll, Isabel Valdés, Ferran Bono, Sonia R. Pontevedra, Juan Navarro, Lucía Bohórquez, Lucía Tolosa and Elisa Tasca
.