Vaccination of residents on the Cyclades islands of Naxos, Iraklia and Schinousa was launched on Thursday as Greece prepares for the opening of tourism on May 14.
Visiting the three islands to watch the procedures, Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias said that ” Eleftheria program” aims to vaccinate people not only in the major urban centers but in every corner of Greece.”
Η επιχείρηση Ελευθερία συνεχίζεται σε κάθε γωνιά της 🇬🇷.
📍Νάξος
📍Ηρακλειά
📍Σχοινούσα @Vkikilias @mthemisto pic.twitter.com/u9efZAG98x— ΥΠΟΥΡΓΕΙΟ ΥΓΕΙΑΣ (@YpYgGR) April 22, 2021
He reiterated that 2 to 2.5 million doses of the vaccine will be available in May and 3.5 to 4 million doses in June.
He urged citizen to get vaccinated, particularly the elderly and vulnerable groups.
“We are happy that the islanders are responding and are getting vaccinated,” he added.
General Secretary of Primary Health Care, Marios Themistokleous, said that the vaccinations on islands with populations below 1,000 people are concluding and soon the vaccination rate on the bigger islands will accelerate.
” We will continue with the other islands so that by next month we will have covered the greater part of the population of our islands and we will then have vaccination centres only on the larger islands,” he added.
Still not being allowed on the list on Crete, although 66 years old and with AMKA numbers….
And yet there are many ex-UK residents on these islands who are early retirees, with biometric permits, AFM, but no AMKA (due to living on our savings but not yet receiving UK state pension) , who have been fighting to get vaccinated for the last 3 months….. Every time we try to register for the promised ‘Temporary AMKA’, there is a new form on emvolio – which we ditufully complete, but never get any results….. I’ve filled it in 5 times already.. I’m 64 and live on Syros. Yet all I am told is “it’s not open for your age-group yet” ….. or “no AMKA, no booking”
Does anyone know if the UK government has officially been notified of the grave danger UK citizens are currently in?
Has anyone contacted the British Embassy in Athens?
Perhaps the UK should prohibit any travel from the UK to Greece until assured UK nationals are being offered vaccine appointments ( in accordance with appropriate age group of course – although by next Tuesday, those age 30-39 – WITH AMKA – are eligible to book; and yet those most at risk of DEATH, without AMKA, are still left unprotected).
I’d rather the Greek government just be honest and tell us that we’ll be LAST IN LINE, rather than give false hope.
I feel betrayed by a country that I was beginning to feel was ‘home’.
Especially as they open the country up to travel and tourism (had to take a ferry to the mainland today (medical reasons; obviously am paying into the private health care system as no AMKA, and more than willing to contribute) – very surprised to see the large numbers of people travelling TO the island this evening on the journey home…. not convinced ‘essential travel’ applied to all!
Now checking flights back to UK …… feel like no other option now….
I have been constantly in touch with the British Embassy in Greece with seemingly no concern. Like many others like you on a tourist island we have been frustrated by the inept emvolio website which the Greek government is fully aware off. Greek friends in UK were vaccinated in UK long ago with no fuss. Just turned up at local hospital. They told me to come back and get vaccinated at home. Like you it puts you off.
Shame on you T! We foreigners should have the same rights to a jab as greek citizens surely? We are also now considering if we should be here at all. We love greece but are not prepared to be treated unfairly especially when for us older folk with vulnerabilities it can be a life of death. It reflects very very badly on the greek state. We have been waiting so far for 11 weeks just for a temporary amka nimber so we can THEN get on a list. Shamefull.
Just love these comments here today .
Poor joanna living on her savings , yet to obtain residency you are supposed to show proof of income !.
Oh and dear ts running back to uk makes me wonder why did you leave .
Well done talk greece and thank you
I think their situation is genuinely frustrating, as they are in the vulnerable age groups. It beggars belief that people still get off on belittling others’ misfortune. Shame on you T.
I have emailed the Health Minister twice and no response, never had an AMKA number never told we needed to get one have always paid for any health care. Filled in the Emvolia form many times, visited KEP, The hospital, IKA office where they issue AMKA numbers and nothing, they told us they had no knowledge of the Emvoloi form for temporary numbers. I will keep trying as feel too nervous to travel back to the UK at this present time even though I have received 4 messages to go and get my vaccination in the Uk. It appears the more I read the more I am convinced no-one knows anything or they have been told to tell us that they do not know anything and I am sure we will have to be patient and wait until everyone who has an AMKA has received their vaccinations irrelevant of our age and whether or not we are in a vulnerable group.