The imminent vaccination campaign against the spread of the COVID-19 disease that is about to begin in the countries of the European Union poses two major challenges for public administrations. The first is none other than the need to solve the logistical challenges associated with its distribution, especially if we bear in mind that the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, which is the first to have obtained conditional marketing authorization from the European Medicines Agency , must be kept at a temperature in no case higher than -70 ºC.
The Spanish Government plans to start the vaccination campaign on December 27, first serving the population groups that are most exposed and those whose health may be more severely compromised. This category includes residents and staff who work in nursing homes and centers for highly dependent persons, as well as health personnel. But this is only the first link in the chain.
Andalusia plans to implement a “COVID card”
Little by little the vaccine should reach other population groups to help us achieve the long-awaited group immunity , which according to experts requires that between 50 and 70% of the population be immunized, which places us in front of the second great challenge that this strategy entails: convincing citizens who do not want to be vaccinated, or who at least do not wish to do so when it is their turn and prefer to wait longer, that it is essential that they do so to contribute to the group immunity that we aspire to achieve. soon as possible.
According to the experts, we will achieve group immunity against the COVID-19 disease when between 50 and 70% of the population is vaccinated as long as the reproduction rate (R0) remains below 6
Currently the European Administration and the Spanish Government do not oblige citizens to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and today there are no solid indications that support the possibility that this strategy will change in the short term. However, in Spain some territorial administrations have raised their voices to put on the table the possibility that this is not the appropriate strategy .
No regional government has hinted that it is going to force its citizens to be vaccinated, at least for the moment, but the president of the Junta de Andalucía has made public his intention to launch a COVID card when the vaccination campaign begins next 27 from December.
Juan Manuel Moreno, the president of the Junta de Andalucía, has anticipated that the Government he directs is preparing a vaccination certificate that will be delivered to Andalusian citizens who are vaccinated to protect themselves from the coronavirus. What this strategy pursues is that they can prove that they have been vaccinated in order to travel and participate in those events that involve the concentration of a large number of people in a limited space.
Moreno has also assured that getting vaccinated will not be mandatory in any case, but has emphasized that doing so represents “a moral obligation towards ourselves and towards others.” From his words it is quite clear the possibility that citizens will end up demanding the presentation of the COVID card in order to participate in mass events, such as football matches or concerts, and also to be able to travel.
