Isha Sesay
THE Government of the Balearic Islands has been slammed for allowing officials in Mallorca to be among the first to be vaccinated against coronavirus.
This week, six government officials received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
This included the director or mayors, Sofia Alonso, deputy director of chronic diseases, Angelica Miguelez and the director of nursing, Consu Mendez.
Vaccination coordinator, Carlos Villafafila, also received the vaccine, as well as two primary care managers, Miquel Caldentey and Noelia Martin.
However, according to the Balearic Health Council, the government failed to disclose in their official strategy that these people would be included in the first round of vaccinations.
The council say that it was clearly specified that health care workers and vulnerable people, such as the the elderly and disabled, would be the first in line.
The published strategy read: “In the first stage, due to the limited amount of doses available, nursing home residents and health personnel have been prioritised.”
In response to the criticism, the Balearic government said these vaccinations were ‘necessary’.
Healthcare director, Eugenia Carandell, said all of the vaccinated officials ‘work in the direct management of the pandemic so need to be protected’.
This response was subsequently questioned, with the council stating that ‘none of the officials work day to day in nursing homes’.
It comes as almost half a million people in Spain have received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
According to the Ministry of Health, a total of 498,978 people had been fully inoculated across the country by Wednesday, 80,459 more than on Tuesday.
The figures place the country just outside the top 10 in Europe, having been slowed down by supply issues, particularly in Madrid and Andalucia.
