ATHENS — "The hope is now here!" posted Deputy Civil Protection and Crises Management Minister Nikos Hardalias on his facebook account after the arrival of the first vaccines against COVID-19 late Friday in Athens. However, he underlined that the arrival of the vaccine does not mean the end of the pandemic "ιs just the beginning of its end» he said adding that "we must continue to observe strictly the protection measures … and in a few months, slowly but with steady steps we will start to take back our lives".

The first batch of vaccines against COVID-19 arrived in Greece and first inoculations are expected to take place at reference hospitals in Athens on Sunday.