The first 9,750 doses of Pfizer-Bio coronTech coronavirus vaccine against Covid-19 arrived in Greece under tight security at Christmas.
The vaccines will be stored in special areas that meet all the specifications for drug storage and from there will be distributed to the 450 vaccination centers that will be put into operation gradually.
A special plan with the assistance of anti-terrorist units and the participation of over 4,000 police officers was developed by the Hellenic Police (ELAS), under the instructions of the Ministry of Civil Protection, for their retention.
Greece expects to receive 300,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine in the first tranche, which means 150,000 people will be initially vaccinated (vaccines will require two doses per patient), government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Wednesday.
The population’s vaccination campaign was described by Health Minister Vasilis Kikilias as the largest of its kind since World War II, while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called it “Operation Irini (Operation Freedom)”.
Meanwhile, Greek health authorities announced 617 new SARS-CoV-2 cases in the country on Friday, bringing the total to 134,852.
The number of intubated patients was 470 coronavirus patients are currently intubated (mean age is 67 years), while 851 left the ICU.
The National Public Health Organization (EODY) said 50 people had died from Covid-19 in Greece, bringing the total death toll to 4,507.