Spain expats given crucial vaccine update – Benidorm, Alicante & Canary Islands rules
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Around 285,000 British expats currently live in Spain. As the vaccination roll-out pushes forward around the world, it may be confusing for expats to know where to obtain their jab – particularly if they aren’t registered to a health centre.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date information for Britons who are currently abroad – regardless of whether they are expats or simply on holiday.
In its latest update for Spain, the FCDO has provided a crucial update for Britons residing in the Valencia region of Spain or the Canary Islands.
The information explains how to register for a Covid inoculation.
“Wherever possible British nationals should aim to be vaccinated in the country where they live,” explains the travel authority.
“Spain operates its health system regionally, therefore the way people access the vaccine will differ depending on where you live.
“You should refer to your regional health authority for information regarding the vaccination plan in your area.
“If you are already registered for public healthcare you should be contacted by your regional health service to make an appointment when it is your turn to be vaccinated.”
However, expats who are not registered for healthcare or obtain it through private means are still entitled to an injection.
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For those living in the Valencia region, which is home to Alicante and Benidorm, the FCDO explains they should go directly to their “local health centre to register”.
It continues: “You will be given a provisional health card to cover the vaccination and any other public health needs.
“You should visit the Valencia regional government health service website to check and update your contact details.”
The FCDO has also added new advice for those living in the Canary Islands.
It states: “We are awaiting further information from the Government of the Canary Islands regarding their vaccine plan for those who do not have public healthcare, and will update this section in due course.
“You should call 012 for information about registering for the vaccine.”
The FCDO continues: “British nationals living overseas should seek medical advice from their local healthcare provider in the country where they reside.
“Information about vaccines used in other national programmes, including regulatory status, should be available from the local authorities.
“We are aware that some people have been able to sign-up to the vaccine list in their region by registering temporarily at their local health centre with their residency document.
“This temporary registration is known as an ‘alta temporal’.
“You should contact your local health centre for further information.”
According to Statista, as of April 28, the total number of COVID-19 vaccines administered in Spain was over 15 million.
Meanwhile in the UK, as of the week ending April 25 an additional 2,941,890 NHS vaccinations for COVID-19, including both first and second doses, were reported in England compared with the previous week.
This took the total number of vaccinations administered as of April 25 to 39,155,196.
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