ATHENS – With a campaign for booster shots against COVID-19 under way in Greece – a third for most versions – a member of the government’s advisory panel said a fourth may be needed later to deal with the Omicron Variant.

The suggestion came from Athanasios Tsakris, a Professor of Microbiology, who said a new version of the vaccines would be required after mixed reports about how effective the current shots are against Omicron.

He said the idea is being talke about among pharmaceutical companies but much more data will be required to know how the variant will behave.

“The specially formulated vaccine, if needed, can be prepared in a short time. However, clinical data is needed in order to give the green light in time for its administration. The information we have is that this whole process will take two to three months,” he told SKAI TV.

He also said he thinks a booster should be given five months after a second shot instead of six as now, although Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he thinks he should be four months.