Greece punishes uninvited seniors with monthly fines | Coronavirus pandemic News

People over the age of 60 in a southern European country face up to € 100 a month in fines if they refuse to take up property against COVID.

Greece People over the age of 60 have been given a vaccination order, as coverage remains below the European Union average, while the recent rise in infections is putting pressure on hospitals.

Elderly people who do not get the vaccine will face penalties starting in January with a fine of 50 euros ($ 57) and a fine of 100 euros ($ 114) per month.

About two-thirds of Greece’s 10.7 million people are now fully integrated — the EU average is more than 70 percent.

The death rate and the daily hospitalization rate have increased recently as a result of the spread Omikron variant, although the pressure on the ICU’s capacity has eased slightly.

Health Minister Thanos Plevris said the fines would be collected through the tax office with money used to fund state hospitals.

“The age factor is important because of its impact on the public health service,” Plevris told private Open TV on Sunday.

Last year, an order was issued for health workers to be included. From February 1, adult vaccination certificates will expire in seven months if the holder does not receive a booster shot.

New infections grew significantly in early January and eased in the last week.

A mandate for people over the age of 60 was announced at the end of December, and according to government data, about 41.5% of the 530,000 people targeted by the measure are now fully vaccinated.

Greece has the seventh oldest population in the world, measured by the share of the population aged 65 and over, according to the US-based Population Reference Bureau.