People at risk, professionals of social response establishments, patients and professionals of the integrated continuous care network and professionals of the National Health Service (SNS) and also pregnant women, are all eligible for the vaccination.

In the second phase, the other target groups covered by free vaccination will be integrated, highlighting people aged 65 or over and people with diseases or other conditions provided for in the 2021/22 influenza vaccination standard.

For this flu season (2021/2022), there will be 2.24 million doses of flu vaccines, about 146,000 more doses compared to the flu season 2020/2021, which represents an increase of 7%, according to the DGS .

Similar to what has happened in recent years, the vaccines available in Portugal will be tetravalent, including four types of influenza virus: two type A and two type B.

Health authorities decided to bring forward the start of the vaccination campaign, which usually starts in October, due to the pandemic situation.

"In 2021, in the context of the covid-19 pandemic, exceptional and specific measures are maintained in the context of free flu vaccination, including earlier initiation, phased vaccination and free of charge for professionals working in contexts with greater risk of occurrence of outbreaks and/or greater susceptibility and vulnerability”, says the DGS in a statement.

On Friday, the task force that coordinates vaccination against covid-19 said in a statement that the centre where anti-Covid vaccines are administered would "soon" be used for the flu vaccination.

In Portugal, the vaccine is free for citizens aged 65 and over, for residents and institutionalised patients, but also for a group of people with specific diseases, SNS health professionals and firefighters.