Concern is rising in Spain over the number of individuals who have jumped the line to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. The list includes several mayors, a regional health chief and family members of medical workers. In these cases, the vaccine was administered even though the person did not belong to the first priority group of the ongoing campaign: residents and staff of care homes, other healthcare workers and people with serious disabilities. In some instances, this was due to a misunderstanding, and in others, the individuals jumped the line âto build confidenceâ in the vaccine or because there were âleftover doses.â
Several Spanish regions on Friday announced new measures aimed at containing the third wave of the coronavirus, which is already yielding record case numbers and stretching some hospitals to breaking point.
These measures include earlier curfews, more perimetral lockdowns in municipalities, and shorter business hours for bars and restaurants.
But despite growing calls from politicians, public officials and unions for a full home confinement, the central government continues to oppose a strict lockdown like the one that placed the countryâs economic and social life on hold between mid-March and mid-June last year.
The difference of views and the fact that decisions are shared between central and regional administrations is leading to some confusion over the kinds of measures that are allowed.
The Leader Newspaper
Ministry of Health investigates vaccination of two Valencian mayors
Socialist mayors of El Verger and Els Poblets received the vaccine last Friday
After making public the fact that the mayors of El Verger and Els Poblets, in the Marina Alta, have been vaccinated against covid despite not being in a particular risk group, health workers or residents in nursing homes, the Ministry of Health has said that it is opening an investigation into the reasons why they have ‘jumped the queue’ with the Denia health department.
The two mayors of El Verger and Els Poblets, Ximo Coll and Carolina Vives, who are a married couple, received the first dose of the vaccine last Friday, a fact that was confirmed after pressure from the opposition.