Inoculations are biggest bet of coming months

The vaccination of the Greek population against the coronavirus is undoubtedly the country’s biggest bet and challenge over the coming months, according to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis Tuesday.

Addressing the cabinet, he stressed that it is imperative for mass vaccinations to proceed, while maintaining measures to prevent the transmission of the virus. These are two parallel efforts in complete interdependence, he noted, adding that the more strictly the restrictive measures are observed, the easier they will be lifted.

“The more citizens are vaccinated, the closer we will be to the end of this adventure for every Greek woman and for every Greek man,” he said.

He reiterated that after the arrival on Saturday of the first installment of doses and the start of vaccinations the day after in Athens and Thessaloniki, the plan is in place to gradually expand the process to the 1,018 vaccination centers.

He also said that there is a very detailed plan for the transport, storage and distribution of the vaccine, along with a campaign to inform the population.

The scientific responsibility has been taken over by the National Vaccination Committee and, as Mitsotakis announced, it will be supervised by the new government committee for the coordination and management of the vaccination, which was ratified by Tuesday’s cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, during the meeting, also Mitsotakis gave a brief overview of the government’s work in 2020.

“On the one hand, the country should remain protected from the coronavirus until the process of mass vaccination is completed and, on the other, it must have an economic and social roadmap, to catch the thread of the transition to normalcy and development again,” he said.