Portugal will receive only 200 of the 600 Janssen vaccines scheduled for August, announced the coordinator of the vaccination plan against Covid-19, who says he expects to have 70% of the population fully vaccinated between 5 and 12 September.
“The concerns remain the allocation and arrival of vaccines. Yesterday afternoon I had the bad news that in August about 600 Janssen vaccines were expected to arrive and about 200 should arrive», revealed Vice Admiral Gouveia e Melo, later reinforcing that there would be 220 and that this situation « it harms the expectations and desire to vaccinate the Portuguese population».
Henrique Gouveia e Melo, who is today being heard at the Parliamentary Health Commission on the vaccination process, said that the Ministry of Health “has been compensating for these shortfalls with acquisitions through partners who are not using some of these vaccines or anticipating 4th trimester vaccines to this third trimester».
However, the coordinator of task force defended that this is not a generalized situation of non-compliance, clarifying that «Modern and Pfizer have fulfilled what they promise» and that they have been «very reliable» in the delivery of vaccine doses to Portugal.
Despite the drop in deliveries, Gouveia e Melo was calm about the future, considering that «pharmaceuticals will produce more vaccines» and that there will be «response capacity» in view of the needs.
"It is natural that in the fourth quarter, and then later, vaccines will be available in the international market and in Europe in sufficient quantity for the third doses", if necessary, he maintained.
The official said he expects to have 70% of the population vaccinated with a dose between 8 and 15 August and with full vaccination between 5 and 12 September.
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