Following up on its warnings, Greece has imposed a vaccination mandate for people 60 and older who have not yet received the COVID-19 jab.
Those not complying with the national directive will receive a penalty of 50-euro (AU$79) fine in January, followed by a monthly fine of 100 euros (AU$158) after that.
The automatic penalty system has already started listing unvaccinated citizens in that age group in an attempt to curb infections and fatalities as the country’s vaccination rate remains below the European Union average. Only two-thirds of Greece’s 10.7 million people are fully vaccinated, while the EU average is just over 70 per cent.
Greece is still suffering a spike in infections adding pressure on Greek hospitals due to the quick spread of the Omicron variant while the more severe Delta strain lingers.
Health Minister Thanos Plevris said the fines would be collected through the tax office with the money going to help fund state hospitals.
“The age factor is important because of its impact on the public health service,” Plevris told private Open TV on Sunday.
Meanwhile, as of 1 February, vaccination certificates for adults will expire after seven months unless the holder receives a booster shot.