“We are within what was our expectation at this stage. The process has been expanding from week to week”, revealed Minister Manuel Pizarro today, explaining that, so far, “about 250,000 people have adhered to the two vaccines”.

Two weeks ago, on September 7, a new vaccination campaign started with 2nd generation vaccines adapted to the Ómicron variant of covid-19 and which aims to immunize around three million people by December.

The process began with those over 80 years old with comorbidities and again takes place in stages, by age groups, advancing as appointments in the older age group are exhausted.

Persons aged 60 years or older, residents and professionals of nursing homes and the national continuing care network, people aged 12 years and older with risk diseases, pregnant women aged 18 or over are eligible to be vaccinated and diseases defined by the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) and health professionals and other care providers.

“People are less alert to these infections, but it is even before winter comes that we must prevent ourselves”, warned the minister in statements to journalists at the end of a meeting with the head of the Coordinating Nucleus for Support to the Ministry of Health (NCAMS). ), Carlos Penha Gonçalves, in which the Secretary of State for Health Promotion, Margarida Tavares, and the Director General of Health, Graça Freitas, also participated.

Manuel Pizarro assured that there is no shortage of stock: “We have vaccines for all the patients that are scheduled in the coming weeks, but we are still receiving vaccines”.