Madrid is promoting vaccination, increasing adherence to the flu and Covid-19 campaign by 14%.
Paula Baena
The Madrid community has launched a vaccination campaign against influenza and Covid-19, receiving a significant reception, as reflected in Treatment adherence increased by 14% compared to the previous year. As noted Fatima Matute, The Minister of Health of the Community of Madrid said during a press conference that today they have already been introduced. 715,000 flu vaccines. This represents an increase compared to 2022 figures, demonstrating “raising awareness among the population of Madrid” towards preventive vaccination. In addition, Matute added that the goal of the campaign is to protect citizens and mitigate the effects of respiratory diseases. “We should talk more about health than disease” consultant influenced
However, despite improvements in overall adherence to the vaccination campaign, The percentage of healthcare workers vaccinated continues to increase. Vaccination coverage in this group is around 40%, a figure that, although high compared to other communities, is considered insufficient by the Community of Madrid. This was explained by the Director General of the Ministry of Health, Elena Andradas. Vaccination rates are higher among professionals who work directly with fragile patients, for example, pediatricians and geriatricians, while those who work in settings with less direct contact, such as laboratories, tend to be more reluctant.
Vaccination among healthcare workers is about 40%.
Thus, the Community of Madrid, in collaboration with 11 scientific societies and through the “Lend a helping hand in the face of flu” campaign, seeks increase awareness and commitment also in this group, highlighting the importance of vaccination to protect both healthcare workers and their patients. Andradas emphasized that raising awareness is an ongoing effort, especially among the most reserved professionals. At the same time, they emphasized that every year information and opportunities for vaccination are strengthened, even though inclusion of new options such as intranasal vaccines for children, which avoids the need for punctures.
In addition, Andradas also emphasized that this year The number of vaccinated minors and people aged 60 to 65 has increased. a group in which the number of people vaccinated has quadrupled compared to last season.
The winter plan will provide 1,100 beds and aims to hire 1,832 health workers.
In addition to the vaccination campaign, the Ministry of the Community of Madrid has launched a Winter Plan that will include hiring 1832 new medical workers, including doctors, nurses and orderlies, which is 2% more than in the previous year. Of these, 1,422 are intended for adult care and 410 for pediatric care.. “Healthcare personnel are the engine of our system,” Matute stressed the importance of strengthening measures during a period marked by an increase in respiratory infections. However, he admitted that It is not intended that all places can be filled. The consultant regretted the lack of professionals in this sector and wished that the government facilitate homologation of property rights for qualified personnel from non-EU countries so that they can be integrated into the healthcare system.
The CAM strategy also aims to expand healthcare resources. In this sense, The number of beds will increase by 1100. in public hospitals, of which 100 will be used for intensive care (ICU). This strengthening of hospital capacity is part of early response to winter demands, in order to ensure the uninterrupted operation of emergency and other services. “We want to avoid images of collapse in hospitals at all costs,” Matute emphasized.
Home hospitalization will reduce the burden of emergencies
In addition, the CAM plan includes home hospitalization for frail patients, especially those with chronic illnesses and the elderly. This measure aims avoid unnecessary travel and reduce the burden of emergency situations. According to Matute, this home hospitalization project allows “Bring health into homes by preventing vulnerable patients from having to go to hospital, especially for respiratory infections.” This way, the health system can better serve those patients who truly need hospitalization, while keeping centers free from overcrowding.
In parallel, the Community of Madrid operates a sentinel surveillance system, which includes monitoring of 30 medical centers and four hospitals, allowing to identify an increase in the incidence of respiratory viruses. According to Andradas, exceeding the threshold of 10% of positive samples “predicts the epidemic phase” allowing health authorities to take preventive measures in advance. In addition, CAM is the only autonomous community that conducts extensive surveillance of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is especially important to protect people over 65 years of age, a highly vulnerable group.
These combined efforts to vaccinate, increase staffing and home hospitalization, and increase the number of hospital beds are aimed not only at effectively responding to winter-related health problems, but also at creating public awareness about the importance of preventative measures such as wearing a mask in crowded places and washing your hands frequently.