Health workers to lose job unless they get vaccinated by 31 March says Health Minister
Health Minister
31 Jan 2022
/ 16:55
“Health workers who will not be vaccinated by March 31 will be fired from Greece’s National Health System (ESY),” Health Minister Thanos Plevris told SKAI TV channel.
The Health Minister recommended that those who have not been vaccinated, from March 31 onwards will not only remain suspended, but they will also not be able to provide their services in the National Health System. If my recommendation is accepted, (the doctor) will lack a formal qualification to provide their service. If this formal qualification does not exist, there is automatically no question of dismissal, but they are putting themselves out of the National Health System,” explained Thanos Plevris.
“Health workers who have not been vaccinated (have not received two shots of the vaccine) will remain suspended until March 31, and by then there will be an overall regulation on whether there will be mandatory vaccination for health workers even after the end of the pandemic, in order for them to remain in the National Health System. For those who have not received the booster shot, there is no provision in the law nor is it intended to be linked to suspension,” said the Health Minister.
“The key element of vaccination is for people to have completed their vaccination (first and second shot). The law says that if one has not received both shots, they will be suspended – this has not changed,” he noted. “They will remain suspended until March 31 and there will be an overall regulation on whether they will remain in the National Health System or not and whether vaccination will be made mandatory on a permanent basis for health workers,” he continued.
On the relaxation of the measures, Mr. Plevris said that the overall view among EU Health Ministers was that there should be a move towards this direction.
As the Health Minister pointed out, “only the necessary measures will now be in force, as the new Omicron variant is not particularly dangerous. It is not just a cold, but because it has milder symptoms than the Delta variant and it is spreading to such an extent that, no matter what measures we take, it is quite difficult to contain it, but also given that there is a high vaccination rate and Greece is now in the European average, we are heading towards a relaxation of measures.”
“The mask and work from home are not restricting social life. What is basically left now is the measures at sporting facilities, which we are slowly reviewing, and the standing customers in entertainment establishments. These measures will be reviewed every week by the Committee of Experts,” he explained.
Source: skai.gr
“Health workers who have not been vaccinated (have not received two shots of the vaccine) will remain suspended until March 31, and by then there will be an overall regulation on whether there will be mandatory vaccination for health workers even after the end of the pandemic, in order for them to remain in the National Health System. For those who have not received the booster shot, there is no provision in the law nor is it intended to be linked to suspension,” said the Health Minister.
“The key element of vaccination is for people to have completed their vaccination (first and second shot). The law says that if one has not received both shots, they will be suspended – this has not changed,” he noted. “They will remain suspended until March 31 and there will be an overall regulation on whether they will remain in the National Health System or not and whether vaccination will be made mandatory on a permanent basis for health workers,” he continued.
On the relaxation of the measures, Mr. Plevris said that the overall view among EU Health Ministers was that there should be a move towards this direction.
As the Health Minister pointed out, “only the necessary measures will now be in force, as the new Omicron variant is not particularly dangerous. It is not just a cold, but because it has milder symptoms than the Delta variant and it is spreading to such an extent that, no matter what measures we take, it is quite difficult to contain it, but also given that there is a high vaccination rate and Greece is now in the European average, we are heading towards a relaxation of measures.”
“The mask and work from home are not restricting social life. What is basically left now is the measures at sporting facilities, which we are slowly reviewing, and the standing customers in entertainment establishments. These measures will be reviewed every week by the Committee of Experts,” he explained.
Source: skai.gr
