With the tourism sector now in emergency mode halfway through the touristic season, Greece will allow tourists vaccinated with almost any vaccine to enter the country.
Having ended most COVID1-19 lockdowns restrictions, and after pumping billions of euros into failing businesses to try to prop up the dying tourist industry, Athens regulators have gone against European Medicines Agency (EMA) policies to recognize many vaccines the agency has a it’s “no” list.
According to the news, the decision came on advice from the government’s advisory panel of doctors and scientists who make recommendations based on epidemiological data. The announcements carried no explanation of why previously suspicious vaccines would be allowed now. Professor Vana Papaevangelou, a key government advisor, told reporters at a briefing that the government will admit tourists with proof of being vaccinated with Novavax, Sinovac Biotech, Sputnik V, Sinopharm, and CanSino Biologics.
She also stressed that will be able to enter Greece via the land border and that specifications for hotels and ships will be updated. Officials say the government won’t force anyone to be vaccinated nor allow those who refuse to be fired, Papaevangelou, speaking about Greek citizens reluctant to revive the vaccines risk dire consequences, with 98 percent of deaths being people who hadn’t been vaccinated.
So far about 25% of the Greek population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 via several EU approved vaccines. The country is 33rd in the world for at least one vaccine jab, with 66 in 100 residents having recieved at least one dose.