Greece’s health minister on Friday threatened to recommend to the government that certain categories of physicians in the private sector be pressed into service to deal with a surging “second wave” of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
Minister Vassilis Kikilias said only 45 physicians in private practice – pathologists, pulmonologists, general practitioners and anesthesiologists – have so far heeded a plea by the ministry to work on contract for the duration of the pandemic.
At the same time, he cited another 550 beds made available at private clinics in the greater Athens area to deal with both Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients, as public hospitals are straining under the weight of the pandemic in the Greek capital.
In terms of the vaccination campaign, Kikilias, an orthopedic by training, said 1.34 million doses have been given so far in the country ,with another 1.5 million planned for April, and with another supplier, Johnson and Johnson, to be added to the list of vaccines used in the country.
