Portugal has reached its goal of vaccinating 85 per cent of its population against Covid-19 and will administer a third booster dose to people 65 years of age and over, health authorities said.

“The vaccination is an unequivocal success [...] we have achieved full vaccination coverage of around 85pc as Portuguese citizens have embraced the process,” said official Graca Freitas of the Directorate General of Health.

“From next week we will start to vaccinate people aged 65 and over with a third dose,” Freitas told reporters. Priority would be given to those over 80 and residents of nursing homes, she said.