The Catalan pharmacy begins cooperation with Salute to vaccinate people over 60 years of age.

Catalan pharmacies this Monday launched a vaccination campaign against influenza and covid, as part of a collaboration agreed with the Ministry of Health and the Council of Pharmaceutical Colleges of Catalonia (CCFC). In total, for the first time, more than 3,200 pharmacy offices in the Autonomous Community will actively participate, raising awareness of the need for vaccination among the population aged 60 years and older.

So the collaboration is that when a person in this age group goes to the pharmacy to buy medicine, the pharmacist asks them if they have been vaccinated for the dual purpose. On the one hand, raise awareness of the importance of vaccination, especially at a time when respiratory infections can put a strain on the healthcare system; and, on the other hand, to facilitate access to information and referral to vaccination services.

In particular, during his intervention the specialist will announce measures to prevent infection; will resolve all doubts related to vaccination by providing objective and up-to-date information; and, if the patient needs it, it will help him make an appointment through La meva salut or at the health center.

“Proximity, accessibility and capillarity make pharmacists key public health agents to respond to the three major public health challenges associated with influenza and Covid: reduce the risk of infection, protect the most vulnerable and achieve the WHO target of achieving 75% vaccination coverage among older people. especially over 60 years old,” they say at the school.

“Pharmacists are allies of the health system, and our integration into the vaccination strategy represents an incentive to improve individual and collective immunization,” emphasized Jordi Casas, President of the Council. “We are talking about a population of almost two million people who are recommended for vaccination, but it is not always easy for the System to access all of them during the campaign. For the most part, since they have some kind of pathology and some kind of prescribed treatment, this will force them to go to the pharmacy every month for medications, and we can educate them about the need for vaccination,” Casas clarifies.

For his part, Esteve Fernandez, Minister of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, emphasizes that “vaccination is important because of its consequences, it is a tool that saves lives. “This prevents infections and thus the collapse of healthcare.” And he adds that “the participation of pharmacists will help increase vaccination coverage among people over 60 years of age. Their accessibility and proximity make them key public health agents in helping promote vaccination among this at-risk population.”

The vaccination campaign in Catalonia began on October 14 for people aged 60 years and over, people with risk diseases (including chronic health problems and obesity), people with immunosuppression or health care workers, as well as representatives of socio-medical and other essential and critical services . And this year, like last season, flu vaccination is recommended for children from 6 to 59 months and smokers.

Regarding Covid vaccination, according to the epidemiological situation and acquired immunity of the population, annual vaccination is targeted at people at high risk of developing complications and other groups, such as health and social care workers, who care for these vulnerable people. Vaccination of persons outside these groups is not yet justified.