Greece confirmed 2,628 new coronavirus infections and 34 deaths (95.3 per cent of which had an underlying condition or were over 70 years) on Monday, with 19 of the new cases identified at entry points to the country, according to the National Public Health Organization (EODY). Since the start of the pandemic there have been 561,812 infections in Greece.
There were 319 patients on ventilators in hospitals, with an average age of 64 of which 83.1 per cent have an underlying condition or are over 70 years.
The average age of new infections is at 40 years, and the average age of people who died due to coronavirus-related issues is at 78 years.
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Protest against mandatory vaccinations
A protest rally was held in front of the Interior Ministry of Thessaloniki by employees of the Emergency Aid Service (EKAB).
Prodromos Devletoglou, the president of the workers’ union of Central Macedonia Prodromos Devletoglou said that a total of 170 EKAB employees will be out of work and as a result only 16 out of the 24 ambulances will operate in Thessaloniki and throughout the prefecture not being able to meet all their needs.
Mr Devletoglou asked for the withdrawal of the draft law regarding mandatory vaccines or at least its postponement until dialogue is held.
Measures for those who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 will be announced by Mr Kikilias at noon on Tuesday (Greek time).
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On Monday, Greece’s top medical advisers recommended that vulnerable groups with underlying diseases receive COVID-19 vaccine booster shots in a bid to contain a rise in Delta variant infections.
The booster shot with mRNA vaccines, if approved by the government, will be available in the first week of September, the head of the National Vaccination Committee said.
