New variants mean annual Covid-19 jabs will be necessary, says Spain's health minister

Spain's health minister, Carolina Darias, believes that the emergence of new coronavirus variants means annual Covid-19 jabs will be "without a doubt" necessary.

"In fact, we have already entered into a €1.8 billion contract with Pfizer and a €400 million contract with Moderna for 2022 and 2022," Darias explained.  

In an interview with Onda Cero radio station on Friday morning, the minister also said that "everything suggests" a third dose will be required as part of the current vaccine rollout campaign.

When exactly third doses would be administered, however, is yet to be determined by health authorities. 

Vaccination campaign in Catalonia

As of July 22, 2021, 4,860,630 residents have been given the first dose of the vaccine, 61.7% of the total population. Out of those, 3,787,556 have also been administered a second dose (48.3% of the total population). 4,243,225 residents are considered to be fully immunized (53.9%). Under 65s who have already had the virus are only required to have the first dose, and others have received a single-dose jab. 

Although there have been reports of breakthrough infections of the more contagious Delta variant, on Wednesday Catalan public health secretary Carmen Cabezas stated that only around 0.5% of people who have been fully vaccinated have gone on to get the virus.

This is the equivalent of around 17,000 of the 3 million that have had their last dose for two weeks or more. By July 21, a total of 875 of these people have had to be hospitalized - 28 per every 100,000 fully vaccinated residents - while 78 have required ICU care.