flu and Covid vaccination dates

Start date of the flu and Covid vaccination campaign in each community

This Wednesday, October 1st begins in Castile-La Mancha the 2025-2026 seasonal vaccination campaign against influenza viruses, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Covid. The general director of Care and Quality of Sescam, Monserrat Hernandez, and the general director of Public Health, Laura Ruizhave explained that the children’s vaccination campaign begins this October 1 and that of adults on October 14, the end of flu and RSV is expected on March 31, 2026; The vaccination campaign against Covid will continue to be open for people with indications for vaccination.

The main novelties in this year’s campaign include: advance of the start date of childhood vaccination (all boys and girls from 6 to 59 months and those in risk groups under 14 years of age) as of October 1, the Board reported in a press release.

The objective of advancing the campaign in minors is twofold: to reinforce protection coverage for minors by providing them with a specific “space” within the campaign and to reduce community circulation, reducing outbreaks in classrooms and homes, since minors play an important role in subsequent transmission to adults. The age group targeted by the childhood vaccination campaign is 6 to 59 months. And within this group, boys and girls aged 24-59 months will be administered an intranasal vaccine.

Another novelty this year is the reinforcement of the active recruitment of the target populationwhere individualized messages will also be used to the population through Sescam and reinforcing messages to specific groups in collaboration with other departments.

Following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), all vaccines to be used will be trivalent (protect against three types of influenza viruses) given that the fourth type that was included until now, lineage B Yamagata, is considered to have disappeared. The type of vaccine to be used in the age group of 60 to 65 years is reinforcedwith adjuvanted inactivated vaccine, which improves immunological results.

This year it is also included in the target population to the cohabitants and main caregivers of children under 6 months of age, and the staff of children’s centers and pharmacy offices. Regarding the results of last season’s vaccination compared to national coverage, it should be noted that it achieved very good results in over 64 years oldbeing the second autonomous community with the best coverage at 68 percent.

In addition, child coverage has been improved (increasing from 39.4 percent to 45.2 percent). In any case and to achieve the objectives proposed by the WHO, it is necessary to strengthen coverage both in these groups and in pregnant women and social-health professionals.

Given the increase in cases of avian flu in animals, Flu vaccination should also be reinforced in professionals in close contact with certain animals.

Laura Ruiz explained that for influenza this year, 600,000 doses have been acquired, 30,600 doses of intranasal attenuated vaccine indicated for children between 24 and 59 months, 360,000 doses of adjuvanted inactivated vaccine for those over 60 years of age and 205,000 doses of “standard” inactivated vaccine for other groups, for a total amount of 6.7 million euros, continuing with the commitment to activities preventive measures of the regional government.

Regarding the VRSthe systematic seasonal immunization campaign continues for all newborns and children under six months of age, as well as premature children under one year of age and children under two years of age with risk conditions. Remember that the implementation of this immunization represents an estimated global reduction of 80 percent in the risk of hospitalization in these groups. 14,000 doses have been purchased for an amount of more than three million euros. Regarding vaccination against Covid, the indication for vaccination is limited to people with risk factors for severe disease (pregnant women, people aged 70 or over, inmates in nursing homes, disability centers and residents in closed institutions, and people who have risk conditions for developing complications or serious illness).

To conclude, Monserrat Herrnández has highlighted that vaccines are one of the greatest successes achieved in Public Health, since every year they save at least between two and three million lives around the world. In fact, the Respiratory Syncytial Virus campaign in Castilla-La Mancha serves as an example, which for two consecutive years has been a success with more than 95 percent of the target population vaccinated, resulting in a decrease in respiratory infections, consultations in Primary Care Pediatrics, a decrease in hospitalizations and admissions to pediatric ICUs.