“No possibility of imposing a lockdown is being considered, as is the extension of additional measures to the vaccinated ones,” government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou clarified during a briefing for journalists.
Our goal, he explained, was and still remains the expansion of vaccination coverage both with the first dose for those who remain unvaccinated and with the third dose for those who have completed their vaccination. For this purpose, Mobile Units – in full consultation with the Local Government and the local Medical Associations – continue the excursions with emphasis on the areas where there is low vaccination coverage.
The “Freedom” program is in full swing as well as the information from every possible source of people who want to be vaccinated and must hurry to be vaccinated. On the positive side is the fact that in the last month we have about 500,000 first dose appointments, that is, 500,000 of our fellow citizens, that is, decided, took the step and will be vaccinated, will get this privilege of science which is the safest way to shield against severe coronavirus disease. . While the appointments of the third installment are going extremely well.
At the same time, I would like to emphasize that the controls throughout the country for the implementation of the protection measures that have entered into force and concern, as we have said, exclusively for our unvaccinated fellow citizens, continue at an intensive pace. That is, those who are much more at risk of serious illness and transmit the virus much more easily to their environment and community. The measures are aimed at their own protection, are aimed at extending vaccination coverage and halting the spread of the virus. As I said before, there are positive signs that these measures – the indirect pressure on our unvaccinated fellow citizens – have brought results.
At the same time, our Government continues to strengthen the National Health System, especially in the regions that are under increasing pressure. As in previous waves of the pandemic, so now the Ministry of Health has developed cooperation with the private sector for the treatment of non-Covid beds, but also Covid cases in private clinics. In the Regions of Thessaly, Macedonia and Thrace, where -despite the motives- the emergency needs were not covered voluntarily – I am talking about the staffing of the health department with private doctors – the demand for services of Pulmonology, Pathology and General Medicine has begun.
In a difficult international environment, at a time when we are living in a pandemic outbreak, the Government is taking care to protect public health and safeguard public goods. Our concern was and remains to try every day to take full care of the homeland and the citizens on this front as well.
The outbreak of the pandemic stressed the government spokesman, continues in all European countries is associated everywhere with low vaccination coverage, and puts serious pressure on health systems. A typical example is countries with health systems much larger than ours that are forced to transport their patients to neighboring countries.
Outbreaks of cases, but also great pressure on the Health System continues in our country, where unfortunately the vaccination coverage is completely related to the areas where the exacerbation is observed, to the intubated in the intensive care unit and to the people who unfortunately lose their lives.
Measures for health, low-income and disabled people
The Government, in a pan-European environment, supports society in practice and effectively. In addition to the measures that had been announced to cover a very important part of the increases in energy, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced yesterday in Parliament three new interventions to support specific categories of our fellow citizens. Specifically, more than 1 million of our fellow citizens will benefit and the total amount of aid amounts to 338.5 million euros.
Specifically:
1. Extraordinary payment of half a monthly basic salary to 100,000 health workers of hospitals, health centers and EKAB. The allowance will be given with the December payroll and will have a cost of about 90 million euros. It was a commitment of the Prime Minister and our Government is a moral debt of the Government and society to our health workers.
2. Additional aid of 250 euros which will be increased by 50 euros for each protected member to 800,000 low-income pensioners. The aid will be paid at the end of December and will cost 205m euros. The retirees, the people who worked hard to bring Greece to the level it is at and are entitled to our support in a time like today.
3. Additional allowance of 250 euros to 173,000 people with disabilities. Beneficiaries are those who receive an OPEC allowance for the disabled. The aid will be paid at the end of December and the cost amounts to 43.5 million euros. The Government has all this time shown intense interest in the disabled, with multiple regulations of institutional and financial content, such as this regulation announced yesterday by the Prime Minister.
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