Outdoor masks for unvaccinated in Greece among the new stricter Covid-19 measures considered

The Health Minister said doctors from the private sector would be called in to cover positions in public hospitals

The Greek government is taking aim at the unvaccinated citizens mulling the imposition of new restrictions, ahead of the meeting of the Committee of Experts, on Wednesday, while the Minister of Health Thanos Plevris announced that he would be conscripting doctors from the private sector from next week if the gaps in the National Health System (NHS) were not covered filled.

Speaking on OPEN TV, Plevris said that today or tomorrow the process of doctors voluntarily joining the state hospital was ending and then the government would proceed with the mobilisation, which would start from Thessaly and Northern Greece, where the Covid-19 situation is more intense.

Regarding the possibility of imposing new measures, he stressed that any measures would only concern those who have not been vaccinated against coronavirus as they are pressuring the NHS. “Whatever measures are deemed necessary concern the unvaccinated citizens, adding they were not “punitive”.

“We are in consultation with the medical associations. Some names come to us voluntarily but within the week, if the gaps are not filled, we will be recruiting initially from Thessaloniki and Northern Greece. Our desire is to fill the gaps in consultation with the doctors, but it appears we will proceed with this measure”, stressed the Minister of Health.

At the same time, he spoke about the collaboration of the NHS with the private clinics. More than 700 beds have already been provided in Thessaly and Thessaloniki by private clinics. “There is also relevant planning for Athens”, the minister stressed. “All ICU beds in the private sector relate to non-Covid incidents,” he added.

Meanwhile, earlier Alternate Minister of Health Mina Gaga said there is a possibility that the measures will be tightened, with the reintroduction of possible steps including restrictions exclusively for the unvaccinated, such as:

· Capacity reduction in areas other than supermarkets, such as catering and entertainment,

· Resumption of telework,

· Establishment of a round-robin timetable for public sector staff, which would decrease public transport services

· Use of the mask in open spaces and double mask in public transport,

· Recommendation to the elderly to avoid socialising,

· Entrance with a test in supermarkets, for those who have not been vaccinated

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