AP: First data shows vaccinations in Greece slowing COVID-19 spread

Αssociated Press reports from Athens that preliminary data from the vaccination of elderly and high-risk groups in Greece shows that the inoculations have cut into the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic although the program is far behind schedule.

The first batches from the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech and a version from the United Kingdom’s AstraZeneca require two shots.

The country is far behind schedule to reach the benchmark of protecting 70 percent of the population of 10.7 million people - or some 7.5 million of them - needed to slow the pandemic.

So far only 40,000 certificates have been given to people to prove they have gotten both shots. The vaccine isn’t mandatory but will be required for travel although it hasn’t been said if that would be extended to the workplace.

The vaccines are working in age groups that have already received it, now given to those 75-79 and for 60-64 with AstraZeneca, most effective in that range, preliminary data has shown, earlier trials showing up to 96 percent efficacy.

“We are seeing a drop in cases among age groups that have been vaccinated. The situation allows some optimism concerning forecasts for the weeks ahead, Athens University Rector Thanos Dimopoulos told Mega TV.

He is on the New Democracy government’s advisory panel of doctors and scientists making recommendations on health measures, lockdowns and the vaccination program now being accelerated.

He appeared optimistic that further inoculations will begin to slow the spread of the Coronavirus with Greek tourism officials already saying foreign visitors with proof of being vaccinated will be allowed into the country soon.

Dimopoulos said that the transmission rate has dropped to just below the 1 RT threshold which indicates it’s slowing and that hospital admissions appear to be stabilizing although only 6 percent of the country has gotten the shot and there remains a small anti-vaccination movement.

Commenting on the two variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that have been sweeping through Europe Dimopoulos said that the data appear to show that the existing vaccines are effective against the British strain, though the same cannot be said about the South African variant.

“The effectiveness of the vaccinations on people infected with this variant is down by more than 50%,” Dimopoulos told the station.

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