In a statement, the DGS indicates that in the second phase of the vaccination plan, two distinct strategies are defined: "the vaccination by decreasing age groups, until 16 years, and people 16 years or older and who have diseases with increased risk of severe Covid-19 or death".

Among the diseases that will give priority in taking the vaccine, regardless of age, are diabetes, severe obesity, active oncological disease, transplantation and immunosuppression, severe neurological diseases and mental illnesses, he says.

In addition, those who have recovered from Covid-19 infection "at least six months ago" are also included in the second phase of vaccination, "according to the priority group or age group to which they belong".

The DGS explains that people who recovered from Covid-19 infection more than six months ago can be vaccinated with only one dose, regardless of the vaccine and that the vaccination of these people will start from the moment that people over 60 years old have all been vaccinated.

"The Vaccination Plan is dynamic, evolving and adaptable to the evolution of scientific knowledge and the timing of the arrival in Portugal of the different vaccines against Covid-19," explains the entity, stressing that the goal is to "save lives by reducing mortality and hospitalisations" and "preserve the resilience of the health system and the pandemic response system and the State."

In the first phase, and because there was a scenario of scarcity of vaccine doses, the plan defined as priority groups, besides health workers, also those over 80 years old, the elderly institutionalised in nursing homes or in the continuous care network, and those over 50 years old who had risk diseases.

In the second phase, people aged between 16 and 79 will be vaccinated, by decreasing age groups and giving priority to those with risk diseases, while vaccines will also continue to be administered to workers in essential areas of the State.

According to the statement, during the second phase, people who recovered from Sars-CoV-2 infection at least six months ago will also be vaccinated, including those who received the first dose.

All those under 60 years of age will only receive one dose of vaccine, warns the DGS, stressing that this will happen "regardless of whether it is a vaccine with a one or two-dose vaccination schedule".

The two doses will continue to be administered to people who have recovered from the infection and present immunosuppression conditions.

The DGS also updated the pathologies that determine that priority is given to vaccination, regardless of age, and now includes people with active malignant neoplasia (cancer), transplants and transplant candidates, and those suffering from immunosuppression.

Also neurological, mental, cardiovascular, chronic liver, chronic lung diseases or those suffering from diabetes or obesity will have priority, according to the updated vaccination standard.

Priority will remain for health professionals and professionals involved in the pandemic response system and the State.