The Director-General of Health has announced that unless a new variant of Covid-19 emerges, which causes more serious disease, from now on the Covid vaccine will only be given to the elderly, patients at risk and pregnant women.
“We are ending vaccination in homes and we have reached 40% of the elderly – over 80 years old – and we have good expectations”, said Graça Freitas
“Right now, we know that the vaccine is not preventive in relation to the transmission of the infection, because the Omicron variant is completely different and much more invasive and faster in its transmission, escaping the immune system. But the vaccine and booster shots protect against serious illness, hospitalisation, and death,” she said.
The Director-General of Health also underlined that “older people, and those with ongoing illness are those who have a worse evolution of the disease, a worse prognosis”, the strategy is “protection of the vulnerable because we know that vaccinating mass population does not change the transmission dynamics of the BA-5 variant of the Omicron very much”.
Graça Freitas says that throughout the next few months, people should be aware of symptoms, with an objective to minimize possible transmission.
“In these Summer days, with gatherings and festivities, people should be aware of two things: if they know that they have been in contact with someone who is sick and if symptoms appear, so that they do not continue to spread the disease, they must isolate themselves quickly and must do a self-test. If that test is positive, they must call Linha Saúde 24 and do a rapid antigen test in order to minimize the possible transmission to other people”, says Graça Freitas.
When visiting the sick or the elderly, as a protective measure, the Director-General of Health advises the use of a mask and the maintenance of appropriate distances.
According to the latest report from the Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), the average number of infections has decreased slightly to 25,042 daily cases in Portugal and the transmissibility index (Rt) of the virus that causes covid-19 is now below from the threshold of 1.
The 14-day cumulative incidence rate is 3,294 nationally and 3,279 on the mainland, according to the institute’s report.
On Wednesday, it was announced that the autumn/winter vaccination plan for 2022/23 against Covid-19 and flu will start on September 5th. The vaccines will be administered together and will already be adapted to the ómicron variant. People over 65 years old, people over 18 with serious illnesses, health professionals and users of nursing homes and continued care will be the first to receive the vaccine at the start of the campaign. All other groups will follow, as previously.
