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Greece to make vaccines mandatory for over-60s

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the new rules during a cabinet meeting

30 November 2021 18:00 (UTC +04:00)

Greek officials have announced plans to make Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for anyone aged 60 and over, APA reports citing BBC.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told a cabinet meeting that the new rule will come into effect from 16 January next year. He added that authorities will impose a €100 fine on people who fail to comply with the order.

The announcement follows a move earlier this month that barred unvaccinated people from indoor spaces including restaurants, cinemas, museums and gyms, even if they had tested negative for the coronavirus.

Greece has experienced a rapid surge in Coronavirus cases in recent weeks. Daily infections have reached record levels, with the country's 7-day average reaching 6,721 infections per day.

The country has experienced significant vaccine hesitancy, with just 63% of the country's 11 million strong population fully vaccinated, well below the European average.