- EDITIONS: Spanish News Today Murcia Today Alicante Today
ARCHIVED - Covid jabs are available to everyone in Andalusia; including those with private health insurance
Make sure that details are properly registered with the health service; even those with private medical insurance can be added to the vaccine database
How to get access to the COVID vaccine is a hot topic amongst foreign residents in Andalusia with notable and not unjustified confusion amongst those with private medical insurance who are unsure whether they will also be given access to the vaccine.
However, the good news is that the Public Health Service, the body responsible for the rollout of the vaccination programme in Andalusia, updated the official advice on 6th April to clarify the steps which must be taken in order to ensure that everyone who wants to be vaccinated is included in the vaccine roll-out.
In order to be vaccinated, the most important basic step is to ensure that name and contact details are included in the Public Health Service Database known as the Base de Datos de personas usuarias (BDU).
Any registered user of the Public Health Service in Andalusia with a Tarjeta Sanitaria (Health Card) is automatically included in the database.
However, it is important to check that details held on the database are correct, particularly for those using mobile phones, who may not have registered their mobile number on health records.
Details can be checked in person at the local health centre in which any individual is registered, or those who have an electronic signature, can review and update details online via ClicSalud+ https://www.sspa.juntadeandalucia.es/servicioandaluzdesalud/clicsalud/pages/portada.jsf
Those currently registered with the health service will be contacted once their specific age group is reached.
As of today, AstraZeneca vaccines are being administered to those in the 60-69 age group, starting at 69 and working downwards, although some 64 and 65 year olds will have already been called for their vaccination before the age group limit was changed on Thursday afternoon.
The over 70s are being vaccinated with Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and again, the vaccine teams are working down from 79.
Anyone over 80 should have received their first vaccine by now; if someone in this age group has not been contacted, then it’s vital that contact be made with the nearest registered health centre to ensure vaccination can be administered asap.
Private health insurance
There are many early retirees who are not registered with the health system as they fall outside of the conditions for free healthcare in Spain. However, these individuals are still entitled to a vaccination, but must register with the health authority in order to be included in the vaccine list.
Those who are not in the health service database because they have private health insurance, are registered elsewhere or are not on the register for any other reason, can be added to this database by filling in a form and taking it to their nearest health centre together with DNI, NIE or Passport. Bringing one or two photocopies of every document proving identity or residency is usually guaranteed to smooth the way.
The new instruction and a downloadable copy of the registration form are available on the official website of the Public Health Service : Alta en BDU para Vacunación COVID-19: Extranjeros y españoles (no mutualistas) privados | Servicio Andaluz de Salud (juntadeandalucia.es). It might be a good idea to print this webpage and take it along just in case the official is unfamiliar with the new guidelines or is suffering from a lack of caffeine.
And don’t worry if a first dose has been administered somewhere else in Spain or even abroad; a second dose can be administered in Andalusia as long as the recipient is on the all-important database and the health service has the correct contact details.
Anyone concerned that the vaccine rollout has passed them by should contact their local health centre and get registered, taking a translator if they do not speak Spanish. The Public Health Service of Andalusia has stated its commitment to vaccinating everyone, but it’s down to each individual to make sure the service knows they exist.
Full details about the rollout of the COVID vaccine in Andalusia is available on the Public Health Website. Vacunación COVID-19 | Servicio Andaluz de Salud (juntadeandalucia.es)
Daily updated information about the vaccine rollout is published in English on www.andaluciatoday.com