Ministry of Health authorises third dose for 18 to 39-year-olds

MadridThe Public Health Commission has decided this Thursday to extend the third dose of the vaccine against coronavirus for people between 18 and 39. The Ministry of Health thus extends the immunisation strategy of the population towards the younger strata of society and does so in the middle of the sixth wave. Infections continue to soar and the incidence throughout the country reached more than 3,000 cases on Wednesday. However, the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, already spoke of a "slowdown" in the rate of infections.

The Public Health Commission has also agreed to reduce by one month the time interval to wait to receive this third dose. Until now, it was necessary to wait six months from the last vaccination, but from now on this period will be reduced to five months. "It is in line with what has been done in other countries around us", Darias justified in a press conference. The minister also said that there is scientific evidence that six months after receiving the second dose, the "effectiveness" of the vaccine begins to "drop".

Before the Christmas vacations, the Public Health Commission authorised a third dose for people between 50 and 59 years of age and lowered the threshold for those over 40. In addition, it also included all AstraZeneca vaccinees, who are eligible for a booster dose three months after they received their last dose.