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How to book an appointment for your flu vaccine in Alicante 2022
Flu season is upon us again. Who should get vaccinated against flu this winter and how can you make an appointment?
Influenza is a highly contagious viral epidemic disease that causes many people to get sick and die every year, especially the old and infirm. That’s why getting vaccinated against the flu (known colloquially in Spanish as ‘gripe’) is so important.
Vaccination is a safe and effective measure to protect against flu, and annual vaccination campaigns target people who are most likely to become infected. Even if you were vaccinated last year, it’s important to get your vaccine again every year because the virus is constantly mutating, so you need to update your immune system to evolve with it.
But who can get vaccinated against flu in Spain, where can you get your flu jab and what do you have to do to request one?
Who is eligible to get a flu vaccine in Spain?
People who are recommended to get vaccinated against influenza include:
- Persons aged 60 years or older
- Persons 6 months - 59 years of age with a chronic illness
- Pregnant women
- Doctors, nurses and other health workers
- Anyone at high risk of flu-related complications
In addition, for the 2022 flu vaccination campaign, it is especially recommended that children between 6 months and 5 years of age get vaccinated because the disease is expected to be stronger and more infectious than normal because it has been largely absent in the last two years due to anti-Covid measures such as hand washing and facemasks.
Where do I have to go to get my flu vaccine?
Your flu jab will be administered by a registered health professional at your nearest health centre where you are registered. However, in Alicante this service may also be offered at mass vaccination centres as the Covid jabs were.
For the elderly living in care homes and people with chronic illnesses who are cared for in residential homes, flu vaccines will be administered directly in the home without the need for an appointment.
When can I get vaccinated against the flu?
The flu vaccination campaign starts each autumn, to protect people against the flu during the winter. This year’s flu vaccination programme in Alicante starts on Monday October 17, 2022, from which date you will be able to get vaccinated.
For those who are eligible and willing, the flu vaccine may be given at the same time as the fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine – the second booster shot.
How to book a flu vaccine appointment
If you are among those you are advised to get vaccinated against the flu, you must book an appointment to do so.
If you are registered with the public health service in Alicante, you can book an appointment:
- By calling or going to the reception desk at your local health centre. (Be aware that they may not speak English.)
- Via the official GVA +Salut app which you can download on Apple iPhone iOS or Android Google Playstore.
- On the internet, on the official Alicante Health Service GVA +Salut website.
Instructions for making an appointment online:
- Note that the website is only available in Spanish.
- Enter the number on the front of your health card (SIP) and your date of birth, then click ‘Validar.
- Follow the instructions on the next page to book your flu vaccine appointment.
If you have private health insurance, you should contact your private health centre to make an appointment.
Image 1: Archive
Image 2: GVA +Salut
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