“With the disappearance of most of the limitations imposed by the law, we are entering a new phase that is essentially based on individual responsibility. We cannot forget that the pandemic is not over and that, although it can be considered controlled once 85 percent of the population is vaccinated, the risk remains”, he stressed.

António Costa stressed that vaccines against Covid-19 “do not ensure 100% immunity” and pointed out that “there is an ultra-minority group that refuses vaccination and there is a population under 12 years of age that is not vaccinated”.

“Therefore, the risk exists”, he declared, before referring to the fact that Portugal is exposed to other countries in the world, some of which still have high incidence rates of covid-19.

The prime minister then pointed out that Portugal is "a tourist host country and has a strong connection with several countries in the world, whether for historical, cultural and linguistic reasons, or because of the strong presence of Portuguese emigration in various parts of the world."

"The risk does not disappear", he stressed, before leaving a warning about the coming winter soon.

“Although it is still sunny in early autumn, we are going to have a winter period to follow – traditionally a cold period with a high risk of respiratory infections. This will inevitably translate into an increased risk of illnesses such as flu, but also an increased risk of contracting Covid-19,” he said.

In this context, António Costa asked all citizens to “continue to have an individual duty to prevent and combat this pandemic”.