ATHENS – Professors, staff and students at Greek universities who aren't vaccinated against COVID-19 when classes open will have to take two molecular tests weekly – and pay for them.

The New Democracy government said the cost will be 10 euros ($11.73) each time, which amounts to 80 euros ($93.81 monthly) in a bid to persuade them to be inoculated as shots aren't mandatory except for health care workers.

A document showing recovery from the Coronavirus within the previous six months will also be allowed but test takers must have them done within the previous 48 hours before going to class and show them on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Students at health sciences schools participating in an educational process or internship at public or private health units where vaccinations are mandatory, can only attend after they submit proof that they have been administered at least the first dose of a vaccine, said Kathimerini.

Two shots shots several weeks or months apart are required for most versions apart from the single-shot Johnson & Johnson version from the United States which isn't in wide use in Greece.

The Eleftheria (Freedom) campaign has stalled over the summer, stuck at around 56 percent of the population of 10.7 million needed to beat back the pandemic, health officials said, with anti-vaxxers fiercely resisting taking the shots.