ATHENS — Greece's public health services and hospitals are still under strong pressure from the novel coronavirus, Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias said in statements to the SKAI media network on Monday. According to the skai.gr website, Kikilias noted that the country has been in lockdown for a month and that, "out of a total of 1,305 ICU beds that we have [throughout Greece], 1,083 COVID and non-COVID beds were currently occupied". He also repeated that 7,000 healthcare staff have been hired to cope with the situation, at the orders of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

According to the same website, Kikilias expressed the concern and worry of the government and scientists about the pandemic in Greece because, as he said, the spread of the virus in the community continues to be high, health services are under pressure, doctors are tired, while scientists around the world are talking about a third wave of the pandemic.

Kikilias reiterated that the vaccine will be safe and will have been tested by international agencies for medicinal drugs, while it will be offered free of charge and will not be obligatory.

For those unable to go to vaccination centres, such as people with disabilities, Kikilias said that special teams will be set up that will go to them to administer the vaccine.