All mRNA vaccines, such as those developed by Pfizer and Moderna, will be available on the islands over the next few days, Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias said on Tuesday in an interview with SKAI TV.
Speaking about possible perks for the vaccinated, he said that "this will be done after all citizens have [been given] access to the vaccines."
"It is not about punishing the rest, but about the possibility of rewarding or facilitating those who have been vaccinated on the basis of social and economic activity," Kikilias added.
He specified that the discussion about extra privileges will take place in the autumn, saying: "We will end the tourist season, we will look for incentives and in the autumn we will decide what will happen to those who are not vaccinated.:
"I believe that society will of its own accord push the rest to get vaccinated," the minister continued, adding: "Society cannot be shut down for another winter. It is not a game. Human lives are still being lost."
Regarding the vaccination of children and adolescents, Kikilias noted: "The goal is to start before the beginning of the school year, as soon as the international authorities approve it."
"We let scientists properly study what applies and what the risk is, what the clinical trials for adolescents show," he stressed.
"Based on this data, the scientists will make a recommendation and the government will decide," Kikilias concluded.
On Monday, there was 808 new COVID-19 cases.
Traces were also identified after checks at the entrance gates of Greece.
Now, the total number of COVID-19 cases amounts to 410,166 (daily change + 0.2%), of which 51.2% are men.
At the same time, there were 24 new deaths.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a total of 12,301 COVID-19 cases recorded.
95.2% had an underlying disease and/or age 70 years and over.
READ MORE: Peloni: COVID-19 situation improving but remains volatile.
