“We understand that the exceptional regime for the reimbursement of rapid tests will remain in force during the month of March and will include two free tests per month for each user”, said António Lacerda Sales, at a press conference in which he also announced the reduction of the number of active vaccination centres.

In January, the executive had already decided to extend the exceptional regime that allowed the State to reimburse four SARS-CoV-2 tests carried out in a pharmacy or laboratory per month until the end of February.

The measure will continue during the month of March, but each user will be able to perform only two free tests per month, instead of the previous four.

The official justified the reduction in the number of reimbursed tests by reaffirming that Portugal is currently in a new phase of the pandemic, with a positive evolution of the epidemiological situation and the easing of measures to contain the covid-19 pandemic.