“I am also now, as the Prime Minister says, a little irritatingly optimistic, there has been a slight reversal of positions here,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, at the 22nd session on the evolution of Covid-19 in Portugal, after listening to presentations by experts.

With António Costa listening to him in the front row of the audience, the head of state continued: “No, no, but I assume that you prime minister are optimistic, moderate, realistic; whilst I am irritatingly optimistic.”

Regarding vaccination, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that “the Government and health authorities and Infarmed have been making a huge effort, which is often not known, to acquire vaccines” to maintain the pace of vaccination. “Vaccination is key to the lives of Portuguese people, and the pace at which it has been processed is exceptional”, said the President of the Republic, who also praised “the contribution of health professionals” involved in this process.

The head of state pointed out that, according to experts, “in the overwhelming majority of cases vaccines produce effects” and that this is true “at all ages”, a fact that he pointed out as “important for the minority who still have doubts about the vaccination”.

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said, however, that “the Portuguese people overwhelmingly believe in vaccination” and that “Portugal has the highest percentage of the population in Europe that believes in vaccination”.