“Essentially, at the moment we are concerned with controlling the impact of the disease on the most vulnerable, so we started the administration of the booster dose to those over 80 years old and to the population residing in residential structures for the elderly”, she said, clarifying that this step is has already been completed.

According to the official, during the month of June, vaccination will also be reinforced to the population over 80 years old in an outpatient clinic.

Regarding this vaccination campaign, Marta Temido highlighted that it will also affect the most vulnerable.

Asked about the possibility of reassessing the “relief measures”, the Minister of Health stressed that the Portuguese government’s option is in line with the options of most governments, both in terms of management and in response to the pandemic.

“What differentiated the Portuguese situation that we have today was a sub-lineage of a variant that is already known. The report by the Ricardo Jorge National Institute of Health, released yesterday, on sequencing, shows almost 90% with the BA.5 sublineage [of the Ómicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus]”, she pointed out.

According to Marta Temido, this report indicates that Portugal is the European country that “probably will have the highest prevalence of this sub-lineage”.

“This justifies, along with other circumstances, these high numbers we are having. We have to continue to bet, I think we are all in agreement, on self-responsibility”, she concluded.