ANDALUSIA.- The Minister of Health and Consumption of the Junta de Andalucía, Catalina García, has reported on the data provided by the 2022-2023 vaccination campaign, as well as the result of the implementation of the high-frequency plans. Regarding influenza vaccination, to which he referred at the beginning of his appearance in the Andalusian Parliament, he has reported that there have been 1,953,383 doses that have been administered between October 3, 2022 and March 12, 2023. This means, as he has clarified, that 95% of the acquired vaccines have been inoculated.
“It has not been an easy campaign after two years of a pandemic. This has been the first time without the widespread use of masks or distancing measures, with the consequent increase in cases of respiratory infections,” García explained. At this point, he has thanked the professionals of the Andalusian Health Service for “the enormous work” carried out.
Regarding the total number of people vaccinated against influenza in Andalusia, 1,902,719 people have been immunized, as stated. As far as people over 65 years of age are concerned, a total of 1,061,548 people have been vaccinated, which represents 70.6% of the elderly in Andalusia. In nursing homes, during the 2022-2023 campaign in Andalusia, 40,200 people received the high antigenic load flu vaccine, which means 92.7% coverage. Regarding the professionals of these residences, coverage has been at 39.1%.
The head of Health and Consumption, then, has transferred to the Chamber that 45.8% of children between 6 and 59 months have been vaccinated against influenza during this campaign. In this sense, she recalled that child flu vaccination has been incorporated this season, the initial goal of which was to reach 40%. In total, 133,185 minors have received these doses. “Vaccinating this age group is important, since not only do they have the second highest hospitalization rate for influenza, after those over 80 years of age, but they also play an important role in the transmission of the virus to the community,” he said. manifested.
On the other hand, it has stated that flu vaccination coverage in pregnant women has stood at 81.3%, administering the doses to 38,059 pregnant women. In people with basic pathologies, the coverage for those between the ages of 5 and 11 years has been 75.5% and between 12 and 64 years, 57.9%. As far as the coverage of health and social health professionals is concerned, during the 2022-2023 campaign in Andalusia, 69,911 have received the flu vaccine, which means 50.6%.
Covid-19 booster dose and pneumococcal vaccine
Catalina García, in the same way, has reported on the coverage of the booster dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 in the population aged 60 and over, which has been 58.1%. This coverage being greater as the age of the cohort increases. Thus, for example, from 60 to 69 years the percentage has been 44.6% and those over 80 years, 72.6%.
If we limit ourselves to nursing homes, a total of 39,590 adapted COVID-19 souvenir doses have been inoculated, with a coverage of 91.3%. Likewise, during this campaign, 56,005 adapted COVID-19 souvenir doses have been inoculated among health and social health professionals, representing a coverage of 40.6%.
On the other hand, he has communicated that in this campaign the vaccination against pneumococcus has been updated in all those citizens who had it indicated. Thus, vaccination coverage against 13-valent conjugate pneumococcus, in the population between 60 and 72 years of age (born between 1951 and 1963), stands at 64.7%, with 67,550 people vaccinated. Currently, 709,803 adults between the ages of 60 and 72 have already received the 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine in Andalusia. In this regard, the Minister of Health and Consumption thanked “the exercise of responsibility shown by all citizens.”
Likewise, he recalled that, from January 1, all males who turn 12 in 2023 can be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus. In the same way, on the one hand, vaccination against herpes zoster has been incorporated into two risk groups, such as solid organ transplant recipients and those being treated with anti-JAK drugs, and, on the other, meningococcal vaccination quadrivalent ACWY in childhood and adolescents, as well as the meningococcal B vaccine, which Andalusian infants can receive.
“One of the objectives of the Government of Andalusia is prevention to improve the results in the health of the population and to generate greater confidence among citizens towards vaccination and in Andalusian Public Health”, he stated.
High Attendance Plan
In her appearance, Catalina García has presented the results of the monitoring in Primary and Community Care in relation to the High Frequency Plan 2022-2023, whose period has been between October 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023. In this way, it has indicated that the total number of consultations carried out in the Primary Care Emergency Services (SUAP) of Andalusia between October and December has been 1,826,317, while in the months of January and February 2023 there have been made 619,180 consultations.
In the case of the scheduled activity carried out during the hours of the Primary Care Center (CAP) open during the last quarter of 2022, there have been 10,107,622 consultations in the specialty of Family and Community Medicine; 1,654,103 Pediatrics and 8,990,061 Nursing consultations.
In line with the latter, he has transferred that Andalusia is currently in Phase 0 of the High Frequency Plan. However, in March Family Medicine consultation appointments have reached Phase 1 on two occasions. Specifically, on March 3 and 13, 2023, with 176,637 and 170,636 appointments respectively.
Regarding the 2022-2023 Christmas Plan, the planning was similar to that of the previous year in 99.1% of the CAPs. In this way, all active CAPs and SUAPs maintained their regular opening hours, with the exception of two surgeries in the Sevilla Este district, which changed their opening hours from morning to afternoon. For their part, 64.7% of the Health Centers and Local Clinics, which usually have afternoon opening hours with activity of the Basic Primary Activity Team, maintained their schedules.
Regarding hospital emergencies, from October 10, 2022 to March 15 of this year, the number of hospital emergencies in Andalusia has been 1,817,387. External consultations have stood at 349,957 and diagnostic tests at 326,156.
