ATHENS – Those over 60, with underlying health conditions or otherwise susceptible to the Coronavirus should have updated shots and boosters, Greece’s National Vaccination Committee has recommended.

While the COVID-19 pandemic is waning, it is still dangerous, with scores of thousands of cases weekly, people being hospitalized, put on ventilators and perishing, although most health measures have been lifted.

The easing of restrictions was done to lure tourists to bring money to speed an economic recovery, which has worked, but at the cost of people shunning measures to protect themselves as the virus still spreads.

The new vaccines, which have already been received by Greece (Pfizer & Moderna) began to be administered on Sept. 14, without advising people who were getting shots in the days leading up to that to wait for the new version.

The new variations protect against both earlier strains of the coronavirus and also from the virus’ most recent mutations (ΒΑ.1, ΒΑ.4 and ΒΑ.5) which means those who got the older version recently aren’t protected.

Speaking to reporters, committee officials said it also recommends the new jabs for people aged 12-59 who are suffering from underlying health issues, residents and workers in care units for the elderly or other hospices and people living with others who are immunosuppressed.

It clarified that these vaccines should only be used by people who have completed their vaccination with the original vaccines, and three months have elapsed since they were inoculated with at least two doses, said the state-run Athens-Macedonia News Agency AMNA.