(Adds details on immunity study, French and Italian positions)
MADRID, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Spain's health ministry said on
Wednesday that people under the age of 55 without major health
complications who have previously contracted the coronavirus
will have to wait six months from their diagnosis before
receiving a vaccine.
The measure, which appears to be unique in Europe, will
apply to the three vaccines currently being distributed in Spain
and is provisional pending further research.
Justifying the decision to prioritise those without a
history of COVID-19, the ministry said that cases of reinfection
within six months are "exceptional".
A major British study published last week found 99% of
participants who had previously tested positive retained
antibodies for three months, while 88% still had them after six
months.
People older than 55 or those with health risks that make
them more vulnerable to reinfection will be exempted from the
delay, the ministry said.
So far, the only people under 55 being vaccinated are
health-care professionals, according to Spain's recently updated
vaccine strategy, which also recommends not taking an antibody
test prior to vaccination.
Elsewhere in Europe, several Italian epidemiologists have
said it is useless to vaccinate those who have already been
infected, but Rome has not taken any decision on whether to
administer jabs to recovering patients.
And France's public health agency believes there is no need
to inoculate people who developed a symptomatic form of the
disease, although those patients can still opt to take a shot
three months after the onset of symptoms.
(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Nathan Allen
Additional reporting by Emilio Parodi, Kate Kelland and Richard
Lough
Editing by Andrei Khalip and Giles Elgood)