Greek government to consider mandatory vaccinations

The Greek government is considering  introducing mandatory vaccinations to certain sectors in society, following an amendment introduced by Alternate Health Minister Vassilis Kontozamanis on Thursday.

According to Kontozamanis,  the amendment would allow the minister to nominate the sectors and the kind of measures related to mandatory vaccination for Covid-19.

The amendment on mandatory vaccination "is nationally necessary and democratic, because it serves public health without interfering in the individual rights areas," he said, and urged  the few not to harm the overwhelming majority."

Asked by main opposition SYRIZA parliamentary representative Yiannis Ragoussis to clarify the rate of vaccination in the health sector, Kontozamanis said that in the National Health System, over 85% of doctors are vaccinated and over 69% of nursing staff.

Ragoussis replied that there are thousands of unvaccinated medical staff, and asked, "If these people or a great percentage of them decide in the end not to get vaccinated and are suspended from their jobs, what will happen? Won't the National Health System collapse?"

Kontozamanis responded saying "there will be short-term contracts" and ruled out the possibility of transferring non-vaccinated staff to other positions because that would act as an incentive not to get vaccinated. He also said that temporary staff replacing emergency ambulance (EKAV) staff that will not get vaccinated will receive a three month extension to their original three month contract.

READ: No Mandatory Vaccinations For Children: Greek PM