Andalucía 2026 vaccination calendar: Free rotavirus, HPV and shingles updates announced

Andalucía will begin providing systematic and free rotavirus vaccinations for infants this February, following the approval of the region’s 2026 immunisation schedule.

Antonio Sanz, the regional minister for health and emergencies, announced that the Andalusian public health service (SAS) will allocate more than 150 million euros to what he described as "one of the most comprehensive schedules in the country".

Under the new plan, all babies will receive the rotavirus vaccine in two doses, at two and four months of age. The viral infection is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in young children and is frequently associated with dehydration and high hospitalisation rates.

"Families will no longer have to spend between 140 and 190 euros for this vaccine," Sanz stated. He noted that over the past seven years, the regional government has added several vaccines to the free schedule, including those for meningitis B, shingles, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

He added that "Juanma Moreno's government has added other vaccines to the vaccination schedule over the past seven years. This has resulted in significant savings for families. These vaccines include the human papilloma virus vaccine for pre-teens and teenagers, the flu vaccine, meningitis B and ACWY meningitis in young children, immunisation against the respiratory syncytial virus for babies, whooping cough for adolescents and pneumococcal conjugate and shingles vaccines for adults."

In a move to contain measles outbreaks recorded during the first half of 2025, the 2026 schedule brings forward the second dose of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. It will now be administered at age two rather than three.

For organisational reasons, the second dose of the chickenpox vaccine will also be brought forward to age two. Andalucía is the first Spanish region to implement this change, following recommendations from the Spanish Association of Paediatrics.

The regional government is also extending the age range for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Previously capped at age 18, the vaccine will now be available to both men and women up to the age of 21.

For adults, the pneumococcal conjugate vaccination range has been extended to cover those aged 60 to 80 (born between 1946 and 1966). Mr Sanz emphasised the importance of the shot, noting that pneumococcus is the leading cause of pneumonia-related deaths in the elderly.

Furthermore, a catch-up programme for the shingles vaccine will target individuals aged 66 and 67 who have not yet completed their two-dose series.

The 2026 instructions also clarify rules for members of mutual insurance schemes (mutualistas) who use private health providers. While most must follow their private provider's procedures, those in rural areas covered by the ‘rural agreement’ can receive certain vaccinations - including flu, COVID-19, and RSV - at public SAS health centres.