Viewpoint: Vaccination slowing down?

IB-Salut announced that it was making a further 68,000 appointments available

The vaccination programme on the islands did most certainly speed up, but it now appears to be slowing. | ARCHIVO

Andrew EdePalma07/08/2021 09:49

As of Thursday, 81.9% of the target population for vaccination in Spain had received at least one dose and 67.3% had completed the course. These national figures were higher than those for the Balearics, but the islands have been catching up - 75.1% and 64.4% respectively.

The vaccination programme on the islands did most certainly speed up, but it now appears to be slowing. As an example, the number of doses given, according to Thursday’s report from the regional health ministry, was 7,206 more than it was on Wednesday; the figure for one day has been as high as 18,734 (the absolute record number on Tuesday, July 6).

Over the three weeks up to and including Thursday, the average daily number of doses was 11,145. For the three previous weeks, the daily average was 13,878.

It could be that summer holidays are playing their part and that there is a shortage of personnel, yet on Wednesday IB-Salut announced that it was making a further 68,000 appointments available.

And it’s not as if there aren’t the vaccines, as there are. So might it be that fewer people are now making appointments? It could be, and the health service is particularly concerned about some 3,500 people in the 60-69 age group who have not had the complete course.

70% immunisation (complete course) by the end of the summer was the target for what was said would offer herd immunity. That percentage is close, but it has become increasingly clear that it is too low.