Greece will subject elderly citizens who don’t comply with its new vaccine requirement to a hefty monthly fee, officials announced during a press conference Tuesday.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greek citizens aged 60 and over who are not yet vaccinated must do so by Jan. 16, the New York Times reported. Failure to comply will result in a monthly “fine of 100 euros,” or roughly $113 in U.S. currency.
“I repeat, Jan. 16, book an appointment for their first dose,” Mitsotakis said, adding the mandate was not a “punishment” but rather a “price to pay for health.”
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Mitsotakis said the elderly will have “priority” in the healthcare system, adding the new restrictions signified a “motive for protection, a boost for life.”
“I believe it is also an act of fairness for the many more people who are vaccinated,” Mitsotakis said.
Greece recently imposed additional restrictions on unvaccinated citizens on Nov. 22, banning them from entering public spaces such as bars, restaurants, gyms, and museums.
“We are focusing our efforts on protection of our fellow citizens, and for this reason, their vaccination will be mandatory from now on,” Mitsotakis said.
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To date, Greece has recorded roughly 931,183 COVID-19 cases and 18,067 coronavirus-related deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker.
Out of the country’s population, 61.42% are considered fully vaccinated. Roughly 6,581,445 people have received either a single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or are fully vaccinated.
