Early Rush for Flu and Covid Shots in Portugal's Pharmacies

Portugal heads into the colder months with a small but meaningful cushion: in just six days more than 287 000 people rolled up their sleeves, accepting a flu jab, a Covid-19 booster, or both. Officials say that early enthusiasm—while still a sliver of the ultimate target—signals an appetite for protection that could spare hospitals from the annual winter strain.

The opening numbers in context

Between 23 and 28 September, public data show 182 222 flu doses and 105 264 Covid-19 boosters administered nationwide. Pharmacies, newly empowered to vaccinate on a large scale, accounted for well over half of all injections—100 240 flu and 58 169 Covid-19—while the remaining shots were delivered at Serviço Nacional de Saúde facilities. Among seniors, the oldest cohort again led the way: 26 625 residents aged 85 + already have the flu shot, representing 7.97 % coverage, compared with 3.61 % in the 60-69 bracket. Covid-19 uptake mirrors that gap, with 18 721 boosters given to people 85 + against 25 959 in their sixties.

Where and how to get vaccinated

Anyone entitled to a free jab—all citizens 60 +, pregnant women, chronically ill adults, healthcare staff, and toddlers from 6 to 23 months—may visit their local centro de saúde or one of 2 500 participating community pharmacies. Those aged 60-84 can self-book online or by phone, while people 85 + receive an SMS with a pre-arranged slot but remain free to reschedule. Identification is simple: Cartão de Cidadão only, no prescription, no co-payment. Both vaccines can be given during the same appointment—one in each arm, five minutes in and out—and the EU Digital Certificate updates automatically for travellers who still need it.

What is different this season

Parents will notice a first-time perk: flu vaccination is fully subsidised for children 6-23 months and discounted for those 2-5 years old. Seniors 85 + continue to receive a high-dose formulation (four times the standard antigen), shown to lower hospital admissions among the very old. On the Covid-19 side the vials now target the LP.8.1 sub-variant, replacing JN.1 in the vaccine recipe. Portugal has secured 2.3 M mRNA doses (Pfizer, Moderna, Hipra) and 2.45 M flu doses, enough to cover the priority groups with a margin for stragglers.

The stubborn 60-69 gap

Health planners worry about the "younger-old": although they represent the bulk of chronic-disease admissions, only about 1 in 25 in that age range has taken either shot so far. To nudge them, regional authorities are dispatching mobile teams to mercados municipais, extending pharmacy hours, and partnering with football clubs for walk-in weekends after matches. Early surveys suggest that time constraints, not scepticism, explain most hesitancy, making convenience the decisive variable.

Timetable and stakes

The autumn-winter campaign runs until 30 April 2026, but the Secretariat aims to vaccinate 2.5 M people against flu and 1.5 M against Covid-19 before Christmas—the period when family gatherings accelerate viral spread. Last season ended with 2.4 M flu shots and 1.6 M Covid-19 doses by April, enough to blunt the peak yet not to prevent emergency-room crowding. Officials argue that repeating or bettering those numbers earlier in the season will be crucial to keep beds free for RSV and other respiratory threats that typically arrive in late January.

With supply chains steady and pharmacies carrying much of the load, the coming weeks will reveal whether Portugal can turn promising opening figures into a broad protective wall—one that will matter most when festive lights go up and indoor life resumes in earnest.