Flu vaccinations will start early this autumn in Spain to avoid COVID-19 confusion

SPAIN’S annual flu jab push will start up to four weeks earlier than normal to reduce influenza case numbers due to concerns over the similarity between flu and COVID-19 symptoms.

Health Minister, Salvador Illa, says that all of the country’s regions will begin campaigns by at least the second week of October.

Moves to get vulnerable groups vaccinated against influenza normally start at the end of October or the beginning of November

Salvador Illa said: “Ideally we want to start vaccinations from the first week in October as we concentrate firstly on immunising elderly people in residential homes.”

New targets have been agreed which include reaching at least 75 per cent of all health workers and people aged over 65.

Illa added that he wanted a minimum of 60 per cent of pregnant women and people with ongoing and risky conditions to get the flu jab.