Although the global emergency due to the COVID virus has been over for some time, new cases as well as deaths and intubations from the disease are still being recorded in Greece on a weekly basis. For this reason, the government is distributing an updated COVID vaccine which is available to all.

The National Vaccination Committee is advising its use for:
– those aged 60 and over,
– those aged 6 months to 59 years with underlying health problems and conditions which increase the danger of a severe infection,
– those with compromised immune systems,
– pregnant women, and
– healthcare professionals.
However, healthy people under the age of 60 may also get vaccinated if they wish.

The new vaccine – BionTech/Pfizer XBB.1.5 – is administered as a single shot and is only available locally at the Chania Health Centre, which is next to the EFKA (formerly IKA) building on the Leoforo Karamanlis. The vaccination unit is on the first floor.

Appointments can be booked, as before, through the emvolio.gov.gr website, using one’s GSIS (TaxisNet) codes for access. Vaccinations are being carried out on Tuesday and Thursday of each week only. People are reminded that an interval of at least 3 months must have passed since infection with COVID or a previous vaccination before receiving the new vaccine.

Special provisions apply for those with underlying health problems who have not been vaccinated before or have not received the full number of doses. The vaccine can be administered on the same day as the flu vaccine, though it should be at a different site on the body. A leaflet giving more details, in Greek only, can be downloaded at:
https://emvolio.gov.gr/sites/default/files/attachments/neo_monodynamo_epikairopoiimeno_emvolio_kata_tis_covid-19.pdf.