Low vaccination take-up in Malaga

Less than 40 per cent of those eligible for the flu and Covid vaccination campaign in Malaga province have taken up the offer of a free vaccination; much lower than expected.

Influenza tends to be considered a “trivial infection”, but it can have serious consequences for the at-risk groups, which include the over-60s, those suffering from chronic illnesses and pregnant women, among others. “Every year there are deaths from influenza,” says Blanca O’Donnell, a specialist in preventive medicine at the Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, who warns that the risk of complications for these groups increases if they catch both influenza and covid-19.

“Flu is a respiratory infection that is spread from person to person and the first symptoms are the classic symptoms of a cold, but it can progress to more serious forms, such as pneumonia,” explains the doctor, who insists that it is a mistake to equate flu with a cold. She also stresses that, “you don’t have to be 80 years old” to have a bad outcome from a flu infection.

However, this year there seems to be less adherence to the campaign, especially in the 60-69 age group, as only 30 per cent of the population in this age group in Andalucia as a whole have come to receive their dose. The figure drops even further in the case of Covid, as only 20 percent of Andalucians in this age group have been immunised, according to data provided by the Regional Ministry of Health.