Greek experts approve booster COVID-19 shot for medical staff

Greece will make a COVID-19 booster vaccine available to doctors and other medical staff in the coming weeks, Health Ministry experts said on Monday. About 56.7% of the population is fully vaccinated.

Greece will make a COVID-19 booster vaccine available to doctors and other medical staff in the coming weeks, Health Ministry experts said on Monday. The advisers have already recommended a booster shot with mRNA vaccines for vulnerable groups with underlying conditions and individuals over the age of 60.

The booster shot is not mandatory, said Marios Themistokleous, secretary-general in charge of vaccinations. Greece got through the first phase of the pandemic last year in better shape than many other countries but saw a strong resurgence of the disease this year and has faced a rise in case numbers in recent weeks.

The country reported 2,126 new COVID-19 infections and 39 related deaths on Monday, bringing the total number of infections since the pandemic began to 632,908 and the death toll to 14,505. Greece, with a population of 11 million people, has so far administered more than 11.9 million first shots. About 56.7% of the population is fully vaccinated. It hopes to increase that figure to up to 70% in an attempt to build wide immunity against the virus.