ATHENS – After Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and 65 other politicians were among the first to receive the initial batch of COVID-19 vaccines, the government's plan to inoculate as many others as possible is stepping up.

People can use the electronic platform emvolio.gov.gr is the week of Jan. 11 to register for their shots after the government said that nursing home patients, the elderly and those with underlying or multiple conditions would have priority.

The site is for those who have not signed up for paperless prescriptions on the central Gov.gr website, a process that will gradually become mandatory for all individuals insured with a Greek healthcare fund.

For people who can’t register on either platform – both of which are available in Greek only and require an AMKA social security number and Taxisnet codes – must request help at a Citizens’ Service Center (KEP) or local pharmacy.

Greek health authorities hope to have 220,000 frontline workers and care home residents vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of January and to those over 85 as of Jan. 20.

That would be if there’s enough vaccine to go around as instead of the millions the government said would be coming there’s been only some 92,000 delivered although the hope is for millions more this year.

A second wave of the virus has surged during a second more lenient lockdown, the death toll hitting 5,011 after 54 fatalities on Jan. 4, which also saw another 427 cases being found, and 407 people on ventilators in public hospital Intensive Care Units.