The start of the vaccine distribution process for covid-19 should happen from the end of the year, the Secretary of State for Health revealed this Friday at the update press conference on the pandemic.
“The start of the distribution process should occur from the end of the year, but always depending on the evaluation of the European Medicines Agency. It is a light that is beginning to be seen at the end of the tunnel”, said António Lacerda Sales, regarding the recent announcement of the purchase of 6.9 million vaccines, in an estimated investment of 20 million euros.
According to the minister, the vaccination strategy “will be determined by the Directorate-General for Health”, but recalled that until the vaccine is a reality, it is necessary to persist in the effort to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
“Until the vaccine arrives, the only vaccine we have is prevention, anticipation and preparation, this is what we continue to do, with the strengthening of the National Health Service. We continue to count on the resilience of the Portuguese until we pass this great challenge “, he stressed.
The president of Infarmed – Medicines Authority, Rui Santos Ivo, was also present at the conference and explained that vaccines will arrive in “different periods” to the population, also due to the different stages of development they are in at the moment.
“There are three very important factors: the first is the time – when we will have the vaccines; the second has to do with the characteristics of the vaccines; and the third concerns the very conditions of access to the vaccines. What this process aims at is create a portfolio of options that will allow us to give an answer afterwards “, he said, adding:” We will have to have vaccines in different periods, they will not all appear at the same time “.
The leader of the Medicines Authority once again emphasized “the anticipation” and “uncertainty” with which the process is being conducted between the Member States and the European Commission, as well as the collective nature of the strategy.
“What is being done is also supporting the process of development and production of vaccines”, stressed Rui Santos Ivo, pointing out the preponderance of the evaluation by the European Medicines Agency: “We must have data on safety and efficacy of vaccines, a minimum amount of information that allows us to proceed with its use. We also need to know if we are going to administer just one dose or more, the regime that is going to be applied will also result from this evaluation “.
Portugal accounts for at least 1,792 deaths associated with covid-19 in 55,211 confirmed cases of infection, according to the latest bulletin from the Directorate-General for Health (DGS).
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