View source for Portugal Sets Up Taskforce To Prepare COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

<br>LISBON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Portugal has set up a taskforce to come up with a COVID-19 vaccination strategy and hopes to be prepared to start distributing shots as early as January, Health Minister Marta Temido said on Wednesday.<br> <br>Temido said experts were working to decide which groups should get the vaccine first as well as distribution logistics from transport to storage.<br> <br>"There's a possibility one of the first vaccines will arrive in January," Temido told reporters.<br><br>"What we want is for the country to be prepared to ensure storage, distribution and safe use."<br> <br>Without elaborating, Temido said vaccines that could arrive in January were part of one of several agreements made between the European Commission and pharmaceutical companies.<br> <br>Pfizer, BioNTech, [http://search.usa.gov/search?affiliate=usagov&query=Moderna Moderna] and Russia have all released interim data from trials of their potential vaccines showing more than 90% efficacy,  [https://kynghidongduong.vn/blog/le-hoi-hoa-tam-giac-mach-ha-giang-va-nhung-diem-check-in-voi-hoa-dep-nhat.html hoa tam giác mạch] buoying hopes that effective remedies against the respiratory pandemic may be ready for  [https://kynghidongduong.vn/blog/le-hoi-hoa-tam-giac-mach-ha-giang-va-nhung-diem-check-in-voi-hoa-dep-nhat.html kynghidongduong.vn] use soon.<br> <br>Ae country of just over 10 million people, Portugal has recorded a comparatively low 246,015 coronavirus cases and 3,623 deaths but, like most European countries, infections have been rising and are putting the health system under pressure.<br> <br>A new record of 3,051 COVID-19 patients were in hospital on Wednesday, with 432 in intensive care units - more than the first wave peak of 271 in April.<br> <br>Portugal's 14-day cumulative number of reported coronavirus cases per 100,000 people is now 785, higher than hard-hit Spain and United Kingdom, according to the [http://bordersalertandready.com/?s=European%20Centre&search=Search European Centre] for Disease Prevention and Control.<br> <br>A nationwide state of emergency to combat the spread of the virus came into force last week, with measures including a night-time curfew and a half-day lockdown on weekend days, and is due to last until Nov.<br><br>23, but is likely to be extended. A tiered system of coronavirus restrictions is also on the table. (Reporting by Catarina Demony and Patricia Vicente Rua Editing by Mark Heinrich)<br>