Over 1 million pilgrims benefit from golf cart service at Grand Mosque during Ramadan    Visitors welcomed with Eid initiative at Thee Ain Heritage Village in Al-Baha    Tebuk emir reviews rain response in Tayma    Saudi Arabia considers rent cap as part of major real estate reforms    Messi's bodyguard banned from touchline at Inter Miami games    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Le Pen vows to appeal political ban, calls verdict a 'denial of democracy'    Death toll from Myanmar earthquake rises to 2,719 as rescue efforts continue    Russia, Ukraine trade blame over new energy strikes    Putin orders Russia's largest military call-up in over a decade    Albania hosts MWL chief for Eid sermon at largest mosque in the Balkans    Haramain High-Speed Railway transports over 1.2 million passengers during Ramadan    Saudi Transport Authority says passengers can ride for free if taxi meters are off    Ministry of Education forms 425 community partnerships with SR653 million impact    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    T1 CEO confirms Gumayusi's return for LCK Spring after lineup shakeup    100 Thieves claim Marvel Rivals Invitational NA crown as 2025 scene heats up    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Saudi Arabia hold Japan to goalless draw in Saitama to stay in World Cup hunt    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Greece to fine over-60s for refusing Covid jab
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 01 - 12 - 2021

Residents in Greece over the age of 60 will be fined €100 a month if they fail to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, under the first general COVID-19 mandate announced by the country's government.
The measure was announced in response to a surge in cases and the emergence of the Omicron variant. It will come into effect on January 16 with the fines to be added to their tax bills, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a televised announcement on Tuesday.
Greece's death toll exceeded 18,000 this week with confirmed infections at record levels, as roughly a quarter of the country's adult population remains unvaccinated.
Vaccination mandates were introduced over the summer for health care workers and fire service rescuers, with those failing to comply being suspended from their jobs indefinitely without pay.
The government has ruled out imposing new lockdowns but says it is targeting the elderly with tougher restrictions to protect the public health service as ICU occupancy is near capacity nationwide.
"The new Omicron variant is a concern for us and means we must be vigilant," Mitsotakis said.
"Unfortunately, of the 580,000 unvaccinated of our fellow citizens over the age of 60, only 60,000 set up appointments to get vaccinated in November," he said. "But it is mainly people over 60 who require hospital treatment and sadly lose their life. These deaths are unnecessary."
French Health Minister Olivier Véran on Tuesday warned that the sanitary situation in the country "is worsening".
During an address to lawmakers, he said that 47,000 new infections had been confirmed over the previous 24 hours and that it represents "an increase in the spread of the virus on the national territory."
The number of daily new cases has been over 30,000 for a week when it was under 23,000 a week ago and 15,000 two weeks ago.
"If we continue this dynamic," Véran said, the number of new infections could be "higher than the peak of the third wave by the end of week."
Veran urged people to get vaccinated and receive their booster shot, especially given the potential threat of the new variant, Omicron, which is believed to be more transmissible than other variants and potentially more resistant to treatment.
French authorities have reported their first confirmed case of the Omicron variant on the island of La Réunion and Véran stressed that "other cases could be identified in the coming hours."
France has one of the highest vaccination rates in Europe with nearly 70% of its population now fully vaccinated.
Since Saturday, booster shots have been available for all adults over the age of 18. On Tuesday, the country's High Authority for Health (HAS) meanwhile recommended that vaccination for children from five to 11 that are either vulnerable or have regular contact with vulnerable adults.
The HAS noted that they represent "an age group little affected by symptomatic forms (of COVID-19) that has seen a very sharp increase in incidence in recent weeks."
British authorities on Tuesday confirmed an additional eight cases of Omicron — taking the total tally so far to 22.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said during a press conference in the afternoon that the government plans to offer a booster shot to all those eligible by the end of January.
"There will be temporary vaccination centres popping up like Christmas trees," the prime minister said.
Across England there will be more than 1,500 community pharmacy sites giving out jabs, and extra hospital hubs on top of those already active. Some 400 military personnel will also be deployed to assist in the efforts, Johnson said.
More than 88% of the country's population over the age of 12 have been fully vaccinated.
On Saturday, following the announcement that two cases of omicron had been detected in the country, Johnson had tightened entry rules into the country as well as face-covering requirements in shops and on public transport. — Euronews


Clic here to read the story from its source.