Andalucia president predicts 50% of region will be vaccinated by ‘early summer’

ANDALUCIA president Juanma Moreno has said the vaccination programme is fundamental in regaining normality.

In a message published this Sunday, Moreno said he was ‘excited and hopeful’ about the start of the vaccination programme, which he considered ‘the first step towards recovering the normality lost due to the pandemic’.

The Partido Popular leader said that from now on his government’s objective is ‘not to achieve a new normality’, rather ‘a complete normality which is what all Andalucians want’.

The first vaccinations in the region took place yesterday and as of this Monday, 70,000 doses will arrive on a weekly basis.

The distribution of these will be according to the protocol established by the Ministry of Health.

The month of January will see the first phase of the vaccination campaign, which will prioritise care home residents and workers.

The second phase will run until the end of March and will see health care professionals receive the jab.

By the end of March it is expected that 434,000 Andalucians will have been vaccinated.

Additionally, Moreno informed that the Junta has over 500 professionals ready to start vaccinating in the 159 vaccination points set up across the region.

Of these, 49 have been set up in health centres, 37 in hospitals in all the provinces and 73 mobile points for dispensing the necessary doses in nursing homes and residences.

With 70,000 doses arriving each week into the community, it’s expected that 50% of Andalucians will be vaccinated by ‘early summer’.

“The exact numbers will depend, however, on the supply provided by the Ministry of Health each week,” Moreno said.

Moreno encouraged all residents to take a step forward and be vaccinated out of ‘moral responsibility’ and to not be ‘afraid’ of the vaccine.

“Science has given us the opportunity to put an end to COVID-19. With the vaccine we are not only protecting ourselves, but also our loved ones and society as a whole,” he said.