Health minister and Graça Freitas present autumn vaccination plan

Health minister Marta Temido and the DGS director of health Graça Freitas have today presented the autumn/ winter vaccination plan, incorporating vaccines against Covid-19 and flu. It will begin on September 5. Said Ms Temido, it has been drawn up “in the context of some uncertainty – new variants, vaccine efficacy and the appearance of new vaccines – but we are prepared to incorporate these alterations if necessary. There was no talk of a mass campaign targeting all age groups, but Ms Temido did describe a ‘special reinforced tetravalent flu vaccine” to be administered to residents in old people’s homes. Otherwise, the campaign will be aimed at all those over the age of 65. Indicating the issue of vaccine efficacy (and how current vaccines have little effect on dominant variants) Col. Penha Gonçalves of the health ministry support nucleus, was not present today due to becoming infected with Covid-19.