Health department to run out of vaccine reserves this week

Second doses for 10,000 won’t be administered by recommended 21-day gap

Image of Imma Fornells, the first health professional to receive the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, having the jab administered (image from department of health)
Image of Imma Fornells, the first health professional to receive the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, having the jab administered (image from department of health) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

January 27, 2021 04:54 PM

Catalonia is set to run out of reserves of the Covid-19 vaccine this week. This will mean that around 10,000 people will not be able to receive the second dose within the 21-day timeframe that it should be administered. 

However, the secretary of public health, Josep Maria Argimon, has assured that these people will receive the second dose before the maximum recommended 42 days pass since their first jab. 

Catalonia has received 217,000 vaccines, of which around 200,000 have already been administered and 17,000 will be given between Wednesday and Thursday morning. 

Tomorrow will be the second delivery of the week with 30,000 doses arriving, which will be administered until Sunday. 

“We’ve already used up the [vaccination] strategic stock. Tomorrow, fridges will be empty,” Argimon said. “By Monday, hopefully we’ll have administered all vaccines available.”

The secretary of public health ruled out changing the vaccination strategy and starting vaccinating people over 80. “We don’t have vaccines,” he said.