Fourth Covid vaccine already available for over 60s

Those over the age of 60 can already get their Covid-19 fourth vaccine.

Authorities began to administer doses to those between 60 and 79 on Monday, just under a month after care home residents and people over 80 became the first groups eligible to get the extra booster.

The Catalan health department also began the rollout for the flu jab on Monday and authorities recommended those especially vulnerable to get the doses against both diseases.

The Covid vaccine is "very important because those eligible can have serious symptoms" if they fall ill, according to the public health secretary, Carmen Cabezas.

"What's more, it has now been many months since they received the first booster".

Cabezas also explained that for the first time, the doses are now adapted for both the Omicron variant, and the BA.4 and the BA.5 subvariants, which are the main ones now in Catalonia.

According to the health department, those now eligible are almost 3 million out of the total population of 7.7 million, with around 440,000 of them being 80 and over.

Approximately 500,000 doses of flu and Covid have been given to people aged over 80 altogether and, indeed, Cabezas told the press that 38% of the people in this group have already received the jab.

Increasing number of transmissions in neighboring countries

Cabezas also argued that the increasing number of transmissions in countries such as Germany, Italy and France is another reason for getting the jab.

"It is very important because we are entering autumn and we are also witnessing the figures in neighboring countries."

Indeed, two weeks ago she said that a new Covid-19 wave is "possible," but it will be far from impacting health centers as seen during other waves.

"We can have a new Covid-19 wave, but we hope it does not have any major impact on health centers, so this is the most probable scenario," Carmen Cabezas said on October 4.