“The issue of the third dose has two components: for the immunosuppressed it is another opportunity to be immunised; for people who have had their vaccination, but because they are old, sick or have another condition that has not left them permanently protected, a booster is being considered. These are the studies that are being done and that have a lot to do with the duration of immunity”, she said.

In an interview on SIC's 'Casa Feliz' programme, she stressed that for immunosuppressed people “another dose is advised. It is a restricted group, there will be less than 100,000 people”.

As for the country's advance in the process of easing of lockdown, due to the progress of the vaccination campaign, it is a “question of balance”, said Graça Freitas, and called for taking the vaccine to contribute to the reduction of restrictions.

“The more people who are vaccinated, the more we are able to lighten the measures and our lives will become normal or more like what they used to be like. I said similar and not the same, because it is not time for us to do everything, but it is time for us to understand what we can do on a daily basis to reduce risk”, she concluded.