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The specialists that make up the workgroup For the vaccination plan against COVID-19 in Portugal, they expect that between 60 and 70% of the population will be immunized against the virus between late spring and early summer.
The confirmation was given by the coordinator of this working group, Francisco Ramos, this Wednesday, during his hearing at the Health Committee and the Eventual Monitoring Committee for the implementation of response measures to the Covid-19 pandemic and the process of economic and social recovery.
Asked if the restrictive measures that prevent the spread of the virus among the population could be reduced, the former Secretary of State stressed that the beginning of vaccination against the new coronavirus is not synonymous with relaxing preventive measures and behaviors.
“What we have to repeat is that it is not by initiating the vaccination process that we can ease the restrictions to prevent the spread of the disease,” he said. “These behaviors must be maintained until herd immunity is achieved.”
Even during his intervention, the specialist underlines that “we all have the obligation to send the message that the start of vaccination means hope but it does not authorize us to reduce risk prevention behaviors to which we are accustomed and are obliged to protect health . individual and collective ”.
“There are many vaccines for the Portuguese population”
The official also said in his speech in the parliamentary commission that the first inquiries made by the health authorities about the Portuguese confidence in vaccines against Covid-19 reveal “encouraging figures.”
“There will be vaccines for all Portuguese who want to vaccinate,” he said, adding that 22.8 million doses of vaccines were contracted. “There are many vaccines for the Portuguese population,” he said.
The coordinator of the workgroup remember that people in priority groups “will be invited to be vaccinated with place, date and time.” Precisely for this reason, and because it is not yet known with certainty which day the vaccine will arrive in Portugal, these appointments have not yet begun to materialize.
Regarding its storage, the coordinator of the workgroup clarifies that Pfizer vaccines, which must be stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius, can remain in the central storage location for up to six months. Thereafter, they are transported in refrigerators where they can be stored for up to 30 days as long as they are not open.
“Once opened, they must be used within five days and then the cooling conditions are identical to those of our domestic refrigerators,” he emphasizes.
The Technical Vaccination Commission is expected to present the final version of the vaccination plan this Friday, December 18.
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