Health Ministry raises flu vaccination by 14.3%

It is reminded that COVID‑19 vaccination is recommended year‑round for the most vulnerable groups, as the virus does not show a marked seasonality.

The Directorate General of Public Health of the Canary Health Service reports that in the first month of the flu vaccination campaign a total of 152,591 doses were administered, representing a 14.34 % increase compared with the same period last year. The 2025‑26 campaign began on 6 October with the immunisation of institutionalised residents in care homes, highly dependent individuals vaccinated at home, health‑care professionals, and children included in the school‑based flu vaccination programme. The campaign for the rest of the target groups started on 16 October in all health centres and local clinics across the eight islands.

• People aged 60 years or older: 99,469 doses administered.
• Pregnant women: 1,684 doses administered.
• People under 60 with chronic illnesses: 20,611 doses administered.
• School‑age children (3‑5 years, early childhood education): 7,062 doses administered.

The Directorate also stresses the importance of vaccinating professionals who work with animals, especially birds, as an additional protective measure against the risk of avian flu spread in the Canary Islands, as has occurred in several autonomous communities.

The flu campaign will officially end on 31 December, but it may be extended until 31 March depending on the epidemiological evolution of the virus. It is essential that those indicated for vaccination do not wait; protection should be achieved before community transmission rises.

Appointments can be requested by calling 012 or the toll‑free numbers 922 470 012 and 928 301 012.

Who Should Get the Flu Vaccine?

• People aged 60 years or older.
• Children 6 months to 6 years old.
• Pregnant women and postpartum women.
• Individuals with chronic diseases, immunodepression, or who are institutionalised.
• Health‑care, socio‑health, and essential service personnel (police, firefighters, civil protection).
• Caregivers and cohabitants of vulnerable persons (including cohabitants of infants under 6 months).
• Staff of nurseries and early childhood education centres.
• Workers with occupational exposure to animals (veterinarians, farmers, etc.).
• Smokers or people with other risk factors even without a chronic disease.

Childhood Flu Vaccination

Following the success of the school‑based flu vaccination campaign during the 2024‑2025 season, this year the programme has been expanded to include a new cohort of children up to the day before their 6th birthday and to extend vaccination to private schools. This strategy follows the approach of other autonomous communities that have achieved higher coverage and protection levels by using the intranasal, painless vaccine, which is especially effective in children.

Who Should Get the COVID‑19 Vaccine?

• People aged 70 years or older.
• Individuals 6 months or older with immunosuppression or severe chronic illnesses.
• Residents of elderly homes, disability centres, or other closed institutions.
• Pregnant women (especially in the third trimester).
• Health‑care workers and caregivers, as a self‑protection measure.

Vaccination to Prevent Severe Cases

Because the target populations for flu and COVID‑19 differ (COVID‑19 more severely affects those over 70 and chronic patients of any age) and the seasonality of SARS‑CoV‑2 is unpredictable, the Ministry of Health has issued separate recommendations for each vaccine to protect the most vulnerable groups and reduce health‑care impact. Both vaccines can be administered together if indicated, respecting a minimum interval of three months from the last dose or confirmed COVID‑19 infection.

Vaccines remain the most effective means to avoid complications in high‑risk individuals, significantly lowering the risk of hospitalisation or death from flu or COVID‑19. Promoting vaccination also helps to decongest emergency rooms and primary‑care services, especially during the peak months of respiratory illnesses.