“It is not ruled out that at some point we will proceed to the mandatory vaccination (for Covid-19) and other categories of workers,” said the Minister of Development and Investment Adonis Georgiadis, answering a relevant question in an interview with Mega TV.
He continued on the same subject, saying: “In the summer it was practically impossible, because there was a shortage of employees in the restaurant. Now, these needs are likely to be less, as tourism stops. “But the government is trying from the beginning to balance a tightrope between our need to tackle the pandemic and our respect for human rights.”
As for the means of transport, he said: “In the MMM, obviously, you get stuck, where there is a crowd, you get stuck with the virus, there are no activities. Is there a state that has an open economy and does not have peak hours in the MMM? No. More routes and more buses arrived. Australia made almost 400 days of total lockdown. To date, it does not accept tourists. You are dying from the coronavirus, but you are also dying from hunger “, answered Mr. Georgiadis.
“We will not live again without the coronavirus”
“About a month ago, we lifted a lot of restrictions on vaccinated people. Today, there are no measures for vaccinated. We have an increase in cases today in many countries, it is not a phenomenon of Greece. Our perception as a government is that the virus has come to stay. We will not live a life without coronavirus again, it will become an endemic disease like the flu. So we need to learn how to live the virus in the present. Gradually humanity will adapt. So the government said that if you have been vaccinated, I have no right to restrict you. “You are in danger of getting stuck, but not of dying or entering the ICU”, stressed Mr. Georgiadis.
Responding to why he believes that the vaccinated have not yet been persuaded to proceed with their vaccination, the minister said that “the attitude of the people towards vaccination is an example of culture. Countries that have a more emotional outlook on life have not succeeded. “Greece is in the middle.”
“Measures have been taken to persuade the unvaccinated to be vaccinated, or to isolate patients”
Referring to the reactions expressed by the commercial world to the measures, the minister noted: “Has anyone in the government ever said that the retail trade did not comply with the measures? Are the measures aimed at retail or are they aimed at preventing us from re-closing retail? The reason for the obligation of the vaccination certificate and the test in the retail trade is that we must put a barrier in order to force the unvaccinated people to be vaccinated, or to know who the patients are and to isolate themselves in order to reduce the spread of the pandemic. “Retail trade is also needed to protect its interests, so that it does not close at Christmas, to get its share of a common national effort”, replied Mr. Georgiadis.
“Is it difficult to understand that the government has to take into account those few who do not get the vaccine and do not even want to get tested? Should they starve to death? Because we are forced to legislate and decide for all people, we all understand that supermarkets offer essential goods that you can not deprive. “The difference of the rapid test is not so big that it becomes such a big issue”, he commented on the operation of the supermarkets.
“The church has shown how responsible it is”
Finally, speaking about the churches and why they were exempted from the measures, Mr. Georgiadis said that “the government has decided and correctly shown that for us the issues of worship and faith are not treated with the same measures as trade. We showed the church the respect it deserved and deserved. The church, confirming our respect, took the initiative for the tests, showing how responsible it is “.
