"We are concerned that they have said that only half will arrive," said Health Minister Patricia Gómez. "It looks like the company has problems with one of its production plants, but it could use others."
The European Union will continue to fight to get the company to comply with the supply contract, but for now the April vaccination schedule is on standby.
In the meantime, the vaccination programme will continue week by week and from Monday the immunisation of 2,600 people over 95 years in the Balearic Islands will begin. A new plan will also be put in place to vaccinate 500 Nursing Home residents, who declined or could not be immunised previously.
The forecast for March is confirmed and vaccination of Local Police Officers, Special Education Teachers and Infant Teachers will begin on March 8.
"If we receive early shipments of AstraZeneca, we could bring those vaccinations forward," said Minister Gómez.
She has also confirmed that a new Public Health Law tabled by the Xunta in Galicia, which includes a proposal that those who refuse to be vaccinated be fined up to 60,000 euros has been passed on to the Community Attorney.
"I sent it informally because it caught my eye," said Minister Gomez. “It's another sign that during the pandemic some procedures were approved that have never been implemented. The Constitutional Court will have to study it and we will be watching.”
Mallorca has a cumulative incidence rate of 86.72 cases in 14 days and 100.39 in the Balearic Islands, so the outlook for Easter could be better.
The Ministry of Health and Autonomous Communities are studying a joint strategy to prevent mobility during public holidays and several are calling for perimeter closures. The restrictions in the Balearic Islands will be reviewed in the run-up to the Easter holidays.
"We are concerned that people will come here from Communities with high incidence rates," said Minister Gómez.
IB-Salut Director of Management & Budgets, Manuel Palomino, estimates that the economic impact of the pandemic in the Balearics will be around 144 million euros.
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Astra will not be used for people above than 55 years of age. Can't see why there should be a problem from delayed Astra deliveries.