Covid vaccine program has started in Barcelona
In Spain, like in most countries in Europe, the vaccination campaign against Covid-19 began on December 27, 2020 in retirement homes. For the first phase of the vaccination plan, the Spanish government has chosen to give priority to the most vulnerable people (residents of senior homes and their carers, healthcare workers, ...).
The order of vaccination was established according to various criteria, such as the risk of complications or death from Covid-19, the degree of exposure to the illness, the risk of transmission or being an essential worker for society.
In Catalonia, the vaccination campaign has begun for people aged between 12 and 15. All residents aged 12 or more can now get vaccinated.
To help you understand better the vaccine program in Spain, our doctors specializing in infectious diseases offer you to answer the most frequently asked questions.
Which vaccines have been approved for use in Spain?
Currently, four vaccines have been authorized by the competent authorities in Spain and are therefore used for the current vaccination campaign:
- The BioNTech / Pfizer's Comirnaty vaccine, authorized on December 21, 2020
- The Moderna vaccine, authorized on January 6, 2021
- The Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine (now called Vaxzevria), authorized on January 29, 2021
- The Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine, authorized on March 11, 2021
These vaccines have a different way of working and characteristics that the BBC has synthesized very well in this video:
How is the coronavirus vaccination campaign organized in Spain?
Due to the limited availability of the first doses of vaccine against Covid-19 in Spain, the Catalan public health agency has established a list of priority populations.
The first doses of vaccine were therefore used to vaccinate the most vulnerable populations but are now available to all residents aged 12 or more.
Displaced persons residing in Catalonia who do not have an individual health card (TSI) or identification document for healthcare cover can go to a primary healthcare centre (CAP) for vaccinations.
Where to get vaccinated against Covid-19 in Barcelona?
If you live in Catalonia and you are part of one of the priority groups, you will be contacted by the Catalan Health Agency by SMS to make an appointment to get vaccinated. On the day of the appointment, you must present your insurance card (CIP) as well as your DNI, NIE or passport.
Multiple vaccination centers have been set up by the local government. Find the nearest to you on this map:
If you have any other questions about the Covid-19 vaccine or the disease itself, don't hesitate to make an appointment now with one of our infectious disease specialists. You can also book a covid test (PCR or antigens) to get tested in Barcelona.
Covid 19 vaccines: frequently asked questions
The Covid-19 vaccine is indicated for people 16 years of age and over, except in people who have had serious anaphylactic reactions against any component of the vaccine (active substance or one of the excipients).
Moreover, due to the lack of studies in certain specific situations, the Catalan public health agency does not recommend vaccination against Covid to the following populations:
- People under 16
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
Likewise, the administration of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine should be postponed in persons with a severe illness accompanied by fever.
It is still early to know all the side effects that the covid vaccination could cause, but according to most European health agencies, these seem quite mild and should disappear within hours of the injection.
Among the most frequent, we can mention:
- Pain where the vaccine was injected
- Tiredness/fatigue
- Headache
- Chills
- Muscle or joint pain
- Fever