"We have an average of 100,000 vaccines per day and instead of giving vaccines in a region, area or municipality that is already highly vaccinated, we need to give vaccines in regions that are less vaccinated, balancing the process", explained the vice admiral Gouveia and Melo.

The coordinator was speaking to journalists at the end of a visit to the Monte Abraao vaccination centre, in the municipality of Sintra, where in recent days there have been long queues for vaccinations.

Gouveia e Melo said that his visit was to assess the situation and to help resolve the issue.

“This problem is undesirable and cannot happen and that is why I came here”, said the coordinator of the vaccination plan against covid-19.

Gouveia e Melo said that “there are some aspects that are macro to the system”, related to the amount of vaccines that have to be delivered in Sintra in relation to the population that live there.

“This has to be adjusted. And then there are the micro aspects that have to do with the organisation of spaces”, he said, adding that both situations were analysed and decisions were taken to “act quickly”.

One of the decisions concerns the strengthening of vaccination in this county. “The Lisbon Region is recovering, but within the Lisbon region this council is behind, therefore, it has to be reinforced with human resources”, he stressed.

On the other hand, he said, there is no point in increasing the number of vaccines and then not being able to administer them: "the capacity to vaccinate must also be strengthened and, for this reason, the efficiency of the existing spaces must be improved and, if necessary, increased”.