Laurence Dollimore
SPAIN’S vaccination plan will begin in January 2021 with a view to immunise the majority of the population by July, the health minister has said.
However Salvador Illa told Rac1 radio today that the vaccine will not be mandatory.
“Experts recommend that it not be compulsory as it could be counterproductive,” he said in the interview.
The health leader said there is a ‘high level of awareness’ among the population and that that ‘will be enough’ to ensure enough people take the jab.
Illa said the Government hopes to have ‘the majority of the population immunised’ between May and July next year.
Illa said the health system ‘is prepared’ to guarantee access to the vaccine, revealing that there are already 13,000 vaccination points across the country.
On previous occasions, more than 14 million people have been vaccinated against the flu in just nine weeks.
The rolling out of effective vaccines is being coordinated at the European level, Illa confirmed.
It means the jabs will be distributed to countries in an ‘equitable way.’
“It is a remarkable coordination effort,” said Illa, praising the likes of Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna for creating effective vaccines which have ‘surprised the experts.’
