Civil protection authorities in Greece on Thursday announced that all non-vaccinated employees in the food service and tourism sectors in the country will now have to provide results of Covid-19 twice a week.
The measure is the latest in gradual but continuously stricter policy being implemented by the Greek government to get people employed in specific sectors - particularly in healthcare - vaccinated for the virus.
The relevant deputy minister for civil protection, Nikos Hardalias, said results of a rapid test and a self-test will need to be registered on a labor ministry’s online platform. No information was given on when the measure will take effect.
In a related development, speaking during a visit to a new public hospital in the south-central city of Halkida, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday evening expressed a hope that his government will not need to utilize a new regulation obliging healthcare staff to get vaccinated or face the prospect of obligatory unpaid leave.
He also said the government plans to unveil incentives for physicians and pharmacists to encourage people to get one of four Covid-19 vaccinations available in the country.
"Our emphasis continues to be on fellow citizens who are older, especially those who are 40, 50 and 60, and who are parents of offspring who are now on holiday on the islands, and who risk bringing back the virus to their homes, their parents and grandparents," Mitsotakis said, while again stressing that seniors should “rush” to get vaccinated.
“…because the overwhelming majority of these fellow citizens, who end up in ICUs and die, are not vaccinated, but could have been protected from a serious illness."
