ATHENS — "The epidemiological situation in the country and especially in the Attica region, and in other areas as well, remains burdened and the Health System is under huge pressure," stated government spokesperson Aristotelia Peloni on Thursday, during an online press briefing. "The overall data will be examined on Friday by the Infectious Diseases Committee, which will submit its recommendation and the government will take the decisions for the next steps".

"The aim is, as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated in his interview with CNN on Wednesday, to see how we will allow more activities without making compromises in our main strategy for the interception of the pandemic," she added."In any case we take the fatigue felt by society seriously into account and we are seeking 'relief values' for the pressure that can be activated soon but always with rules and extreme caution," she added.

Peloni underlined that "at the same time, the government is taking another step in the implementation of the emergency plan in support of the National Health System especially in Attica. Two private clinics have been already requisitioned. The private sector is also offering 550 beds, 450 for non-Covid cases and 100 for Covid cases, to the region of Attica.

Οn the vaccinations, Peloni underlined that "the vaccinations in Greece are progressing with safety and in an exemplary and swift manner, always depending on the flow of vaccines that arrive in Greece. Over 915,000 Greeks have already received at least the first dose of the vaccine." she added that the vaccination platform for high-risk groups is to open on Friday and on March 26 that for citizens aged between 70 and 74 years old.

She also said that it is estimated that roughly 1.5 million vaccinations will be given in April, without including the Johnson & Johnson vaccines, and that the number that will be received in Greece will be known in the next few days.

Referring to the European Vaccination Certificate, Peloni said it was "very positive for Greece that the European Commission, as its president Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday, fully adopted Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' proposal for a Digital "Green" Certificate which will allow Europeans to travel easily within the European Union."