Members of the GRIPEXPERT group presented the paper on October 30. Titled "Libro Blanco de la Gripe en España 2026-2027: Recomendaciones, evidencias y dificultades", it sets out fourteen recommendations for Spain ahead of the 2026/2027 season. The plan puts vulnerable people and equity at its centre, alongside vaccination coverage.
The document examines how vaccination is organised and explained to the public, as well as how it is assessed across the country. It looks beyond any single campaign or measure.
Spain’s official vaccination targets, set by the Ministry of Health, include coverage of at least 75% among people aged 60 and over and pregnant women, and at least 60% among healthcare and social-care workers and children aged 6-59 months.
The structure covers eight areas: disease burden and health impact; vulnerable populations; vaccination coverage; improved vaccines; vaccination organisation; communication and governance; equity, ability to recover and investment.
The paper treats prevention as a chain of decisions, rather than a standalone vaccination lead. One priority is direct protection for people who need it most. It also calls for fair access and long-term investment, alongside closer tracking of influenza's burden.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control maintains weekly European surveillance of respiratory viruses, including influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2. This provides a broader reference point for assessing seasonal severity and comparing Spain’s situation with other European countries.
The recommendations call for better evidence on health outcomes and preventive measures. They also stress the role of healthcare professionals in identifying people at high risk. Sharing good practices and improving coordination are priorities, too.
Vaccination has its own section. The authors examine coverage levels and improved vaccines, then consider how delivery is organised in practice. The tools matter, as does how people access them.
Spain's 2026/2027 rollout is already taking shape. The Ministry of Health lists older people, young children and pregnant women among the priority groups, along with people with chronic conditions and healthcare personnel.
Autonomous communities are launching their programmes between late September and October. The white paper sits within the country's existing seasonal system.
Andalusia began its campaign on October 1. The first groups included children and pregnant women, as well as residents of institutions and social-care workers. The region also uses high-dose vaccine for some older people.
Madrid began on October 5. Its phased campaign started with vulnerable groups before extending access to other target groups. The programme may continue until January 31, 2027.
Regional plans show how the strategy reaches people: dates and eligibility rules matter, as does local delivery.
Communication and governance are also part of the plan. The document connects medical prevention with public information and professional involvement, while setting out clear responsibility between institutions.
Several autonomous communities are also using schools as vaccination points or as part of outreach to children and adolescents. The wider goal is to make access easier through appointment systems and school-based services, with direct contact with families as another route.
The Spanish debate also includes wider respiratory infection concerns, including the earlier COVID report. This white paper focuses specifically on influenza and sets its own prevention priorities.
Protecting high-risk people requires identification and outreach. Measuring prevention requires evidence on health outcomes. Investment and coordination help keep the system working, alongside the exchange of practices.
Regional health authorities also want to reduce hospitalisations and deaths among vulnerable people. Coverage targets are a tool for reducing severe outcomes.
Flu prevention depends on vaccines and access, backed by communication and follow-up. Spain's 2026/2027 agenda now has fourteen defined priorities, with protection directed first towards the people most at risk.
