Spanish Health Approves Janssen Vaccine For Under 60s And Vulnerable Groups

SPANISH Health Commission Approves The Use Of Janssen Vaccine For Under 60s And Vulnerable Groups

Spain’s Public Health Commission has approved expanding the use of the Janssen vaccine to people between 50 and 59 years of age, as well as vulnerable groups that are difficult to reach, such as homeless people, seasonal workers, and immigrants in an irregular administrative situation.

On Tuesday 11, officials of the Ministry of Health and the communities also discussed and analysed the possibility of updating the vaccine strategy to make mRNA vaccines – Pfizer and Moderna – available to be administered to pregnant or breastfeeding women for the first time, according to the prioritization group to which they belong.

The use of vaccines for adolescents was discussed for the first time as well, with the proposal of administering Pfizer once it is approved for that age group, to vaccinate all over 12 years of age who fall into the high-risk category, such as those in centres with disabilities, special education and tutored centres, and those in situations of great dependency.

It was decided that the remainder of adolescents and pre-adolescents “will not be prioritized at this time” because epidemiological data in Spain maintains that people aged 50-59, 40-49 and 30-39 years have a higher risk of hospitalisation, admission to the ICU, and death than the younger age groups.

A decision was made by the Commission to continue using Janssen alongside Pfizer and Moderna to complete the vaccination of people aged over 60 and then for those aged between 50 and 59 years, plus to use the advantage of Janssen being a single dose jab to administer to vulnerable groups such as the homeless, seasonal workers, immigrants, and those with autism, and mental illness, as reported by malagahoy.es.