Lisbon, Aug 20 (IANS): Portugal has reached its target of fully vaccinating 70 per cent of its population against Covid-19, the Minister of Health Marta Temido announced.

With an average of around 100,000 people being immunised per day, the Portuguese Vaccination Task Force has confirmed that the milestone of 70 per cent vaccination has been hit - several weeks before it was expected, Temido said in an interview on THursday.

"Now we have to continue to the next step, which is the goal of 85 per cent," she told SIC.

The Portuguese government has scheduled a meeting of the Council of Ministers for next week, when new decisions will be made on reopening the country and easing restrictions.

One of the items on the agenda is the end of the obligation to wear masks in the street.

The Minister also revealed that the results of studies on whether or not third doses are required will be known this August.

Portugal has registered 1,012,125 infections and 17,613 deaths since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic early last year.