The planned mass vaccination programme in the Balearics has been put on hold for the time being because of the national ministry of health's decision to temporarily suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The director-general of the IB-Salut health service, Juli Fuster, said on Monday that it was not known how long the suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be. He added that mass vaccination will continue at Son Dureta in Palma and at health centres (for the over-80s). Otherwise, the vaccination at sports centres in Mallorca - Germans Escalas in Palma, the Manacor Hippodrome and the Mateu Cañellas centre in Inca - is to be suspended for now. Vaccination with the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will continue as scheduled.
The regional health minister, Patricia Gómez, stated that there have been "very infrequent effects" and that the national ministry's decision had been taken out of caution.
Gómez said last week that with the deliveries as had been planned, 70% of the population would have been vaccinated before the summer. The suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine leaves this up in the air. There is also an issue regarding second doses for those who have been vaccinated once; this is due to begin on May 5.
The director of the Spanish Medicines Agency, Maria Jesús Lamas, said on Monday that there is a case of a patient with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis who had been given the AstraZeneca vaccine.