ATHENS, Greece — Greece’s health minister has announced restrictions and requirements for people who are not vaccinated against Covid-19, stressing that more than 90 per cent of patients being treated for the disease in intensive care units are unvaccinated.
Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias also stressed Tuesday that health care and care home workers who refuse to get vaccinated would not get a grace period for a previously announced suspension from work starting Sept. 1.
From Sept. 13 until March 31, Kililias announced, all private and public sector workers without a certificate proving vaccination or recovery from Covid-19 within the last six months will have to undergo one rapid test per week. Two tests per week will be required for those working in academia, tourism, restaurants, cafes, bars, and in television, movie, theater and musical productions.
The minister says indoor restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs and entertainment venues will only be accessible to customers who are vaccinated or recently recovered, with checks conducted at the entrance through an app that scans the certificates to verify them.
Masks will be mandatory for all, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, in indoor public areas and in crowded outdoor areas.