Portugal is 86% vaccinated

Press agency Lusa report that complete vaccination against Covid-19 already covers 86% of the Portuguese population and there are already more than nine million people who have at least one dose of the vaccine, according to official data.

Earlier this month the New York Times reported that “Portugal’s health care system was on the verge of collapse. Hospitals in the capital, Lisbon, were overflowing and the authorities were asking people to treat themselves at home. In the last week of January, nearly 2,000 people died as the virus spread”.

The country’s vaccine program was a shambles, and the government turned to Vice Adm. Henrique Gouveia e Melo, a former submarine squadron commander, to right the ship. The remarkable Gouveia e Melo, who visted Madeira recently, was the focus of a longer post here recently.

Eight months later, Portugal is among the world’s leaders in vaccinations, with roughly 86% of its population of 10.3 million fully vaccinated. About 98% of all of those eligible for vaccines — meaning anyone over 12 — have been fully vaccinated, Admiral Gouveia e Melo said.

Yesterday, Lusa confirmed the figures with the latest data released by the health authorities in the weekly report of the General Directorate of Health (DGS) which registered 8,862,628 people with complete vaccination, corresponding to 86% of the population, which represents a slight advance compared to 85% of the previous week.

The total number of people with at least one dose of the vaccine received is 9,011,536, which represents 87% of the population. Vaccination coverage by age group demonstrates that from 65 years of age the population is fully immunized, with 100% of residents in Portugal receiving the two doses received.

Between 50 and 64 years of age, all people have at least one dose, with only 1% of this total to be inoculated with the second dose, with 2,146,914 (99%) fully vaccinated.

Between 25 and 49 years, 96% of the universe (3,183,886 people) has at least one dose of the vaccine, with 93% of this age group already fully vaccinated.

It is among the youngest that vaccination coverage is lowest, but still always above 85%.

Between 18 and 24 years of age, 92% of people are vaccinated with at least one dose and 89% with two doses.

Between 12 and 17 years old 89% have at least one dose of the vaccine and 86% the complete vaccination.

Portugal has already received more than 21.4 million doses of vaccines and distributed and distributed almost 16.6 million.

The analysis of vaccination coverage by region shows that the Algarve is the most behind in the country regarding the process, with only 80% of people having full vaccination. In Lisbon and Vale do Tejo there are 84% of the population with complete vaccination, in Alentejo and Centro 87% and in the North 88%.

The nationwide report concludes with a note that in the two autonomous regions, Azores and Madeira, vaccination coverage is 83% of the population with full vaccination.