The first mass vaccination against COVID-19 Across the country, it began on the morning of Wednesday, January 27, 2021, from the remote Kastellorizo.
Vaccination will take effect, based on the special plan they have jointly developed, the Ministry of Health and EODY and concerns its small islands South Aegean, with a population of fewer than 1,000 residents.
The plan will be implemented in February and will provide for horizontal vaccination, regardless of age or occupation, unlike in the rest of the country, where priority is given to specific age groups and to healthcare workers.
It should be noted that, in order to implement the vaccination plan for island residents, there is close cooperation and coordination among all relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of National Defense – 95 ADTE, the General Secretariat for Civil Protection, EODY, the Second Regional Health Authority, the South Aegean Region, and the island municipalities.
To mark the start of the vaccination campaign, the Deputy Regional Governor of the Dodecanese is in Kastellorizo, Christos Efstratiou, who stated on the matter: «Today, on the remote island of Kastellorizo, the first nationwide, comprehensive mass vaccination campaign began for the entire population of the island, regardless of age or occupational category. This is yet another unprecedented initiative aimed at ensuring that all residents of Kastellorizo who wish to be vaccinated can do so, without a single vaccine dose going to waste.».
«We’re starting with Kastellorizo, and throughout February we’ll move on to all the islands with small populations, using the same comprehensive approach. Excellent work is being done right now, on many levels, and I want to thank all the agencies involved, at both the central and local levels, for their cooperation. The islanders of the South Aegean have benefited from the very first phase of the pandemic molecular testing at all hospitals in the region. Very early on, they gained easy, free access to rapid tests »…and our small islands will achieve vaccination coverage for the entire population. No one left behind," the deputy regional governor concluded.
