ATHENS — Government spokesperson Stelios Petsas referred to the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines in an interview with Open TV on Saturday. Analysing the government’s plan, he noted that all the vulnerable groups will have been vaccinated until the end of March and until the end of June to have built the desirable wall of immunity.

"The vaccine is safe and effective regardless of the manufacturing company when it is approved by the responsible medicines organisation. So, what is very important for January is the distribution system to work smoothly because we do not have the luxury to throw away vaccines. Later and when and when other companies' vaccines arrive in Greece, in February and March, we will have an acceleration of the vaccinations in order to meet the percentage of immunity and leave behind this nightmare. The effectiveness and safety of the vaccines is something that all our compatriots will gradually see when they see their friends and relatives being vaccinated.

Referring to the gradual lifting of the lockdown, Petsas reaffirmed that the government's priority is to reopen the schools, probably from January 8.