Health Minister Thanos Plevris has announced new measures with additional restrictions for unvaccinated individuals in order to address the COVID-19 pandemic, which is on the rise. The minister referred to the strengthening of the National Health System, saying that 1,300 ICU beds are in operation, in terms of personnel and cooperation with the private sector.

«Our main weapon at this stage of the pandemic is the vaccine,» the minister stressed.

More than 85% of patients in ICU beds are unvaccinated, he said, adding that vaccination should be strengthened and that those who have completed six months since their second dose should receive a third dose.

He spoke about expanding the vaccination campaign with continuous updates provided in an interactive manner.

He spoke of adapting to the new circumstances for those who have not been vaccinated. From Saturday, there will be new adaptation measures, which will apply across the whole country, he said.

Specifically: Two laboratory tests per week for all unvaccinated employees at their own expense.

Negative rapid test for unvaccinated citizens in order to enter public services, banks, and shopping centers. Food stores (supermarkets), pharmacies, and churches are exempt.

It issued a recommendation for everyone, vaccinated and unvaccinated, to wear masks in crowded indoor and outdoor spaces.

He announced that penalties will be increased for those who do not comply with the measures and that checks on vaccination and illness certificates, as well as on negative test results and identity, will be intensified.

T. Zaoutis: The main weapon we have at the moment is vaccination.

The epidemiological picture of the country was analyzed by the president of EODY, Theoklis Zaoutis, during the briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic, while also calling on everyone to get vaccinated.

The rolling 7-day average is 4,000 cases per day. 40% of the cases we are seeing today are from Central, Eastern, and Western Macedonia. 25% of the cases are in children under 18 years of age. All cases, at 100%, are from the Delta mutation. A similar picture is seen in countries with similar populations, such as Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, and the Czech Republic, said Mr. Zaoutis.

Today, as he said, we had 420,000 tests and the positivity rate is 1.6%. 2,832 citizens are hospitalized and 434 are intubated. The rolling 7-day average of hospitalizations is 280 per day.

The main weapon we have at the moment is vaccination, and we must persist with this, said the president of the EODY. He added that it is an effective vaccine against serious illness and loss of life and is no longer a new vaccine, having been tested on billions of people.

Mr. Zaoutis concluded his speech by calling on citizens to get vaccinated and, for those who are more than six months past their second dose, to receive their third dose.