The Greek government on Thursday announced that employees in food & beverage and tourism sectors in six sites in Greece who have not been vaccinated for the Covid-19 virus will be obliged to present negative results from two coronavirus tests per week, with the measure commencing on Saturday.
The same regime will apply for crews of ferry boats.
The decision, announced by the civil protection and crisis management authority, includes the top tourism destinations of Mykonos, Santorini and Paros, and follows a sharp increase in the number of confirmed Covid-19 infections, particularly of the more contagious Delta variant.
Speaking during a press briefing, relevant Deputy Civil Protection Mininster Nikos Hardalias said the measure also affects employees in such sectors in the Crete cities of Rethymno and Irakleio, as well as the Cyclades island of Ios.
The obligation for non-vaccinated employees is for one self-test and one rapid test per week, with the result registered in a the labor ministry's main platform (Ergani).
Moreover, the employee is liable for the cost of the rapid test, yet another "negative incentive" imposed by the state to get a remaining large minority of economically active people in the country to get fully vaccinated.
In a related development, relevant Interior Minister Makis Voridis on Thursday ruled out the prospect of a special reprimand to be imposed on public-sector employees, who are usually tenured civil servants, who refuse to get vaccinated for Covid-19. Voridis said a civil service code already includes provisions civil servants who fail to comply with legal obligations, adding that such cases are referred to standing disciplinary boards.
