{"id":15616,"date":"2026-08-24T11:16:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T09:16:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/servicios-sisma.com\/flu-and-covid-19-vaccine-2026-2027-a-guide-for-elderly-residents-in-the-costa-del-sol-and-benidorm\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T11:46:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T09:46:42","slug":"flu-and-covid-19-vaccine-2026-2027-a-guide-for-elderly-residents-in-the-costa-del-sol-and-benidorm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/servicios-sisma.com\/en\/flu-and-covid-19-vaccine-2026-2027-a-guide-for-elderly-residents-in-the-costa-del-sol-and-benidorm\/","title":{"rendered":"Flu and COVID-19 vaccine 2026-2027: a guide for elderly residents in the Costa del Sol and Benidorm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The vaccination campaign against flu and COVID-19 in Spain starts from the last week of September and throughout the month of October 2026<\/strong>. This year, the flu vaccine is recommended for all individuals aged 60 or over<\/strong>. The COVID-19 vaccine age threshold has been raised to 70 years<\/strong>. These are the recommendations approved by the Public Health Commission on May 14, 2026 (Ministry of Health<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n

If you are a foreign resident in the Costa del Sol or Benidorm, the problem is rarely the vaccine itself: it is knowing which door to knock on, with what paperwork, and in which week<\/strong>. This guide summarizes the schedule, appointment channels in Andalusia and the Valencian Community, and your options if you do not yet have a health card. <\/p>\n\n

\n\n

In 30 seconds:<\/strong> the 2026-2027 campaign begins the last week of September. Flu, from age 60; COVID-19, from age 70. The three strains of the flu vaccine have changed this year. Last season, the flu caused approximately 46,000 hospitalizations and 3,400 deaths in Spain, with the highest admission rate among those over 80. Getting vaccinated does not require a prescription or a prior diagnosis. <\/p>\n\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

\"Healthcare<\/figure>\n\n

What is changing in the 2026-2027 campaign<\/h2>\n\n

Three things, and all three matter from age 60 onwards. The COVID-19 vaccine now focuses on people aged 70 or over<\/strong>, while the flu vaccine remains at 60<\/strong>. All three strains of the flu vaccine have been updated<\/strong> compared to last season. The general protocol is a single dose<\/strong> of each vaccine, regardless of previous doses or infections. <\/p>\n\n

Vaccine<\/th>Who it is recommended for in 2026-2027<\/th>Protocol<\/th>When<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Flu<\/td>People aged 60 or over; children aged 6 to 59 months; people aged 5 to 59 with underlying risk conditions; pregnant women; household members and caregivers of at-risk individuals<\/td>1 dose<\/td>From the last week of September and throughout October<\/td><\/tr>
COVID-19<\/td>People aged 70 or over; residents in elderly care centers; people aged 6 months or over with high-risk conditions<\/td>1 dose, regardless of previous doses<\/td>Same campaign; can be administered at the same time as the flu vaccine<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Sources: official vaccination recommendations for flu<\/a> (May 2026) and COVID-19<\/a> (June 2026), Ministry of Health.<\/p>\n\n

The change in strains is not a technicality. The 2025-2026 season was dominated by the subclade K of the A(H3N2) virus<\/strong>, with significant antigenic divergence from previous strains; therefore, all three components of the vaccine have been modified this year. <\/p>\n\n

Why it is not ‘just the flu’ from age 70 onwards<\/h2>\n\n
\"Elderly<\/figure>\n\n

Because the figures from last season belong in a hospital, not on a sofa. Using data from the SiVIRA surveillance system, the Ministry of Health estimates that in the 2025-2026 season there were 1.4 million cases of respiratory infection due to flu, 46,000 hospitalizations, 2,000 ICU admissions, and 3,400 deaths<\/strong> in Spain. There were fewer cases than the previous year, but they were more severe. <\/p>\n\n

2025-2026 Season in Spain<\/th>Estimated figure<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Cases of respiratory infection due to flu<\/td>1.4 million<\/td><\/tr>
Hospitalizations<\/td>46.000<\/td><\/tr>
ICU admissions<\/td>2.000<\/td><\/tr>
Deaths<\/td>3.400<\/td><\/tr>
Group with the highest hospitalization rate<\/td>80 years or over, followed by 70-79 years<\/td><\/tr>
Primary care peak<\/td>Week 50 of 2025 (438.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Provisional data up to week 18 of 2026, collected in the 2026-2027 flu vaccination recommendations<\/a> from the Ministry of Health.<\/p>\n\n

The pattern repeats every winter on the coast: in an elderly person, the flu is rarely the primary problem. The problem is what it destabilizes<\/strong>\u2014heart failure, COPD, diabetes\u2014and the pneumonia that may follow. <\/p>\n\n

When and where to get vaccinated in Andalusia<\/h2>\n\n

Andalusia has tendered the purchase of flu vaccines for 2026-2027 for 21.3 million euros<\/strong>, with an initial forecast of 1,955,000 doses<\/strong>, expandable by up to 20% (ConSalud<\/a>, March 2026). Exact dates are published in September; last year’s schedule is the best reference for planning. <\/p>\n\n

Group<\/th>Start of 2025-2026 campaign<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Elderly care residences, disability centers, and healthcare personnel<\/td>October 6<\/td><\/tr>
80 years or over and severely dependent individuals at home<\/td>October 14<\/td><\/tr>
70 years or over and people aged 5 or over with chronic conditions<\/td>October 20<\/td><\/tr>
60 years or over and essential professions<\/td>October 27<\/td><\/tr>
Vaccination without appointment, on Wednesdays<\/td>From November 12<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Previous campaign schedule according to the Governing Council of the Junta de Andaluc\u00eda<\/a> (October 2025). To book an appointment: <\/p>\n\n