Over 60% of population now fully vaccinated against Covid-19
Health department says up to 10% of people are not showing up for second dose appointments
Over 60% of Catalan residents are now fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Specifically, 60.2% of residents now have full protection against the coronavirus, according to the latest update provided by health authorities on this website.
As of August 11, 2021, 5,413,033 residents have been given the first dose of the vaccine, 68.6% of the total population. Out of those, 4,206,215 have also been administered a second dose (53.3% of the total population).
A total of 4,742,716 residents are considered to be fully immunized (60.2%). Under 65s who have already had the virus are only required to have the first dose, and others have received a single-dose jab. Therefore, the % of two doses administered and % fully immunized do not match.
Authorities aim to administer vaccines to 70% of the population by the end of August to help ensure group immunity.
The milestone also comes the same week that The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) authorized the first vaccine against Covid-19 developed in Catalonia or all of Spain to go to clinical trials in humans.
Dozens of hospital volunteers between the ages of 18-39 will take part in the trial for the PHH-1V vaccine developed by the Catalan firm Hipra.
Wait cut for those who have had Covid-19
People under the age of 65 who have already recovered from Covid-19 will now only have to wait two months instead of six to be given their vaccine.
The change of protocols will be applied to everybody above the age of 12.
As of Thursday, people who have been diagnosed with Covid-19 at least two months prior can make appointments to receive the vaccine.
Those who have had Covid-19 before will be given just one dose of a jab, as they will then be considered fully immunized.
The department of health says that people will be protected sooner with this change, especially in the face of the growing Delta variant.
Appointment no-shows
Despite the positive vaccine news, the department of health has lamented that there are days when up to 10% of people who have second dose appointments do not show up.
The director of the Catalan health service CatSalut, Gemma Craywinckel, said that people are "prioritizing" holidays as there is a perception of lessened risk, which she warns is not real.
She has called on people to receive their full doses to boost vaccination between the ages of 20 and 40 because "it is costly" to society.
The official also warns that this age group is currently especially at risk of hospitalization due to the coronavirus, as medical centre records currently reflect.
Also this week, the health department allowed jabs to be given to people without any prior appointment in the afternoons.