Catalonia sets new daily record for number of coronavirus vaccinations

Catalonia set a new daily record for coronavirus vaccinations after it administered 80,696 jabs on Wednesday.

According to health authorities, 931,365 people have been given one dose (12.06% of the total population), and 434,644 residents have received both jabs (5.63%).

Health authorities are speeding up the vaccination campaign, with AstraZeneca jabs now available for all citizens between the ages of 60 and 65.

The Catalan health minister said that her department is prepared to continue the process at high speed as long as the vaccines arrive in time. "If we have the doses, we’re ready to administer them," said the minister, Alba Vergés.  

The World Health Organization has criticized European countries for the "unacceptably slow" vaccination rollout, urging governments to keep social-distancing measures in place to compensate for the lack of vaccinations.

As some European countries are imposing new national lockdowns to face the third wave of the pandemic, authorities in Spain, which may now be bracing themselves for a fourth wave of infections, are considering introducing new restrictions for after the Easter holiday.

Ranking poorly among Spain’s regions

Catalonia has vaccinated almost 54% of its population over the age of 80 with at least one dose, putting it at the bottom of the list among Spain’s 19 autonomous regions and territories.

Andalucía, Spain’s most populated region, tops the list with almost 91% of all people 80-years-old or older vaccinated with at least one jab. Madrid, also, has administered at least one dose to 68.5% of people over 80.

Catalonia ranks poorly as well regarding people over the age of 80 who have received both vaccine doses, with the percentage standing at nearly 33%, making it fifth from the bottom.