How can I get vaccinated against COVID-19 in Greece and what are the current measures?

The National Vaccination Campaign for COVID-19 has started. It is approved for its safety, quality and effectiveness by the competent international and national organizations, the World Health Organization, the EMA (European Medicines Agency) and the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration)

Vaccination, free for all, starts for people being in the front line of health, for vulnerable groups, those in closed structures / care structures and for those who serve in important state services.

The vaccine is optional, but necessary to protect ourselves and our fellow human beings.

If you are currently eligible, use your TaxisNet Credentials to book your Covid-19 vaccination appointment from the link below:

https://emvolio.gov.gr/en

Also you can issue a temporary AMKA to receive the vaccination.

Complete the form at: https://emvolio.gov.gr/en/pamka

For information about the vaccination campaign against COVID-19, including how to access it, please click here.

For information on the self-test in Greek please visit the official website available here https://self-testing.gov.gr/. The information below is taken form the Government official website.

The participation of all individuals in the response to the pandemic is crucial. About one in three people who carry the new coronavirus SARS – CoV-2 have no symptoms and transmit it without knowing it. Through the process of self-test with a home test for rapid antigen detection, people protect both their own health as well as the health of their loved ones.

The COVID-19 self-test is obligatory for certain categories of people, as explained below.

If you have taken a home test and tested positive for the new coronavirus, you may have a new test to confirm the former. This can be done either privately or in a public institution (see below) within the next 24 hours.

• Public facilities you can visit to undergo a second free rapid antigen detection test to confirm the first:
  • From Monday to Friday: https://self-testing.gov.gr/%CE%A3%CE%A4%CE%91%CE%98%CE%95%CE%A1%CE%91_%CE%A3%CE%97%CE%9C%CE%95%CE%99%CE%91.pdf.
  • For Saturday and Sunday: https://self-testing.gov.gr/%CE%A3%CE%A4%CE%91%CE%98%CE%95%CE%A1%CE%91_%CE%A3%CE%97%CE%9C%CE%95%CE%99%CE%91_%CE%9A%CE%A5%CE%A1%CE%99%CE%91%CE%9A%CE%97%CE%A3.pdf
• You can find a list of places in which Mobile Units of EODY will be conducting COVID19 rapid tests for free here https://eody.gov.gr/komy-testing-eody/. For unvaccinated citizens, the digital certificate of negative result from gov.gr is available only if the test has been performed in a private diagnostic center.

Frequently asked questions

1) How do I perform the self-test? 

A video on how to perform the test can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqy9EtE1uuE (in Greek).

If you are a student, see the video “The most important test takes places outside the school!”, here https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=D0Hu3MvSUF0

2) For whom are the self-tests obligatory? 

The self-test is mandatory for some categories of employees of the public and private sector (for example: retail, transports, supermarkets, barbershops/hairdressers), as well as in all Kindergartens, Elementary schools, Gymnasiums, in the day and evening General Lyceums, in the Vocational Lyceums and in the Lyceum Classes in Gymnasiums with Lyceum Classes for:

– The students

– The teachers/ professors

– The Special Teaching Staff, the Special Auxiliary Staff as well as the members of the administrative and other staff.

In special education schools of all levels that are also open, the self-test is mandatory for teachers, special teaching staff, the special auxiliary staff, administrative and other staff. For students with disabilities or special educational needs, the self-test is recommended to be performed if it is compatible with the degree and type of disability or special educational need of the student.

3) What do I do if I do not have AMKA or PAAYPA of if I am having difficulty identifying my AMKA in the system?  

In case you do not have AMKA, temporary AMKA (PAMKA) or PAAYPA or you face difficulties in finding your number in the system, you can visit one of the public institutions here https://self-testing.gov.gr/eody-stathera-simeia.pdf.

For finding your PAAYPA, visit the official website here https://www.amka.gr/have-paaypa/ (available in more languages).

For finding your AMKA, visit the official website here https://www.amka.gr/AMKAGR/ (in Greek).

4) What applies to children asylum seekers?

In the case of children asylum seekers, parents/ legal guardians may authorize (through an Application – Responsible Declaration) the School Principal or Refugee Education Coordinator to enter the platform self-testing. gov.gr with his/her personal taxis codes in order to issue the school card for COVID-19 (for the child).

In the case of unaccompanied children, the staff of the Reception and Identification Center (KYT) or of the Reception Facilities, or of the Shelter where the unaccompanied child stays, may fill in and sign (in handwriting) the COVID-19 school card for the unaccompanied students, in accordance with the template available here https://self-testing.gov.gr/covid19-school-card-print.pdf. It is noted that when AMKA is mentioned in the specific template, it should be understood to refer also to the temporary AMKA (PAMKA) as well as to the PAAYPA.

The self-test should be conducted in the presence of the staff of the above-mentioned facilities, in compliance with the instructions in the brochures.

5) Are students allowed to conduct the self-test themselves?

Adult Lyceum students can conduct the self-test on their own. Students between 13 and 18 years old can also conduct the test alone but under the supervision of parents / guardians. For children below 13 years of age, the test will be performed by parents / guardians.

6) How will the self-testing.gov.gr registration platform work?

Upon entering this Platform, members of the educational community will be able to choose one of the categories:

1. Reporting of result of self-test for COVID-19: Reporting of result for the general population and teachers, members of Special Teaching Staff, the Special Auxiliary Staff, administrative and other staff of the schools.
2. School card for COVID-19: Reporting of results for the issuance of a school card for parents / guardians of students and adult students.

After entering one of the options, personal data is confirmed and then the users state the result of the self-test they performed in order to issue the corresponding document.

7) How should the medical material used for the self-test be disposed after its conduct?

If the test is negative, you should dispose of the self-test in the common rubbish bin.

If the test is positive, it should again be discarded in the common wastebins, but in two well-closed bags.

Self-test waste is not disposed of in the BLUE RECYCLING BINS and is not disposed of via wastewater.

8) What happens if the self-test result is positive?

If the test is positive, individuals should issue a school card with a positive result (students) or a statement of a positive result (teachers, Special Teaching Staff, the Special Auxiliary Staff, administrative and other staff of the schools).

Moreover, they should take a second test (retest) within 24 hours, either in one of the permanent public institutions proposed, or privately, if they wish, at their own expense.

In case the re-test is positive, the EODY Protocol should be followed. If the re-test is negative, then a relevant certificate is issued by the public institution confirming the negative result. In this case, students, teachers, special teaching staff, special auxiliary staff, administrative and other staff of the schools return to the school unit, showing the above certificate.

9) Where can individuals take the second test (re-test)?

A list with points that will operate in the morning hours from Monday to Friday as well as on Sundays is available here https://self-testing.gov.gr/eody-stathera-simeia.pdf; in the list you can see the exact location and working hours. In order to undergo a COVID19 test in these locations, you must submit the relevant certificate from the website self-testing.gov.gr (positive result of the COVID19 self-test). The possibility for the re-test in these public institutions will be available as of Monday, 12 April.

10) If someone has undergone a molecular COVID-19 test or rapid COVID-19 test, does he/she need to do a self-test?

No, if someone has taken a molecular test or rapid test up to 72 hours before school starts on Monday (12 April) or Thursday (15 April), no self-test is required again.

11) If the test result is “invalid” what should I do?

In the rare case of an “invalid” result, you may visit one of the fixed public institutions that appear in the list here https://self-testing.gov.gr/eody-stathera-simeia.pdf.

12) Justification of school absences: In case of a positive result in the self-test, how can I justify my/ my child’s absences from school, during these 1-2 days until the retest is done?

These absences will not be registered/ taken into consideration upon presentation of the result of the second test (re-test). Re-tests must be conducted within 24 hours, hence the operation of public structures on Sundays.

13) Which students will be allowed to receive self-tests from the pharmacies, demonstrating their students’ AMKA?

Students of all ages (both children and adults) who attend Schools, including students of Special Education Schools of all levels will be allowed to receive self-tests from the pharmacies, demonstrating their students’ AMKA.

15) Should vaccinated teachers / students be tested?

Yes.

In accordance with the current legislation, the Greek territory is separated in the following color-coded risk zones depending on the updated COVID-19 risk assessment:

• Level a/Orange color is used for the areas under monitoring.
• Level b/ Red color for the high-risk areas.
• Level c/ Dark red color for the very high-risk areas.

It is important to know the Level/Color of your area of residence as different measures may apply. The official Map of Health Safety and Protection Against Covid-19 is available here https://covid19.gov.gr/covid-map/.

Third country nationals or stateless persons, who are new arrived in the facility, should do a self-test or a rapid test. In case that self-test/rapid test is negative, they should be quarantined for five (5) days. The day of the test is considered as day zero (0) and five (5) more days should follow.

At the end of fifth day, a self-test/rapid test is conducted for the termination of quarantine. In case that the self-test/rapid test is found positive, they should be placed into isolation for at least five (5) days, avoiding contact with other persons.

The day of the test is considered as day zero (0) and five (5) more days should follow. After five (5) days, and provided that there are not any symptoms, or that the symptoms are reduced, without fever for 24 consecutive hours without the use of antipyretics, the isolation is ceased. If fever continues, isolation continues until the full regression of fever.

If possible, self-test/rapid test should be repeated. The use of KN95/FFP2 mask, or alternatively use of double mask (surgical/non-medical) is mandatory for at least five more days.

You may contact the Site’s Administration regarding the implementation of any of the above or additional measures in the site where you reside.

Food stores (supermarkets, mini markets, bakeries, butchers, pharmacies, gas stations, pet shops, dry cleaners, shops selling tobacco/vaping products)

Especially in pharmacies, the use of a high-respiratory protection mask (FFP2 or N95) or an alternative double-sided mask (surgical and cloth) is mandatory for the staff and the customers.

Public services:

Full operation with the personal presence of all staff, including employees who belong to the increased risk groups based and public servants who belong to the groups of increased risk provide their work in person, preferably in positions that do not have contact with the public.

General Prevention measures:

1. 1. Using an alcoholic solution with a concentration of more than seventy percent (70%) for hand disinfection.
   2. Ventilation of the premises by natural or artificial means.

The use of a protective mask during the operation of the educational units of Primary and Secondary Education, Special Education and Training, laboratory centers and school laboratories, Second Chance Schools, Vocational Training Institutes, Post-high school year, tutoring centers, foreign language centers, providers of training and certification of skills, foreign language training institutes and all kinds of related structures, public and private, is mandatory in places (indicatively classrooms, auditoriums) in which all kinds of examinations are held (indicatively intra-school, promotion and graduation exams, foreign language exams, language proficiency certification exams, IT certification exams) for all without exception the persons who enter them (students, trainees, trainees, apprentices, students, candidates, teachers, trainers, supervisors, other staff).

The use of a protective mask is not mandatory for school bus drivers, attendants, teachers and students who board them.

The use of a protective mask is mandatory in all areas of the AEI/Libraries (indicative rooms, auditoriums) in which all kinds of examinations are conducted for all persons entering them (students, candidates, faculty members, invigilators, other staff) without exception.

In order to check whether in a specific school in-person educational activities are suspended check the list at the website of the Ministry of Education (only in Greek) here: https://www.minedu.gov.gr/covid19-schools.html.

Instructions for the distance learning provided by the Ministry of Education (only in Greek) is available here:  https://www.minedu.gov.gr/exetaseis-2/1650-covid19/44445-21-03-2020-odigies-gia-tin-eks-apostaseos-ekpaidefsi.

To connect with the electronic platforms for distance learning of the Ministry of Education, click here: https://mathainoumeasfaleis.gov.gr/tilekpedefsi/

Mandatory use of a protective mask by staff, patients, and visitors. Patients who come to a public or private health facility for an examination are not subject to testing for the COVID-19 coronavirus. Patients who come to a public or private health facility for an invasive examination or for an examination that may cause an aerosol are subject to laboratory testing (PCR or rapid test).

Instructions for the proper use of face masks

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or with an alcoholic antiseptic solution before putting on the face mask, and definitely before removing it.
• Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin.
• Remove it by pulling at the same time both elastic strings behind your ear loops. When removing the face mask, make sure you do not touch its front part. Dispose of the mask when it becomes damp.
• If the mask is disposable, dispose of it safely in a regular bin and not in a recycling bin, holding it from the strings. Disposable masks are not recyclable and should not be disposed of in recycling bins.
• If it is a reusable mask (cloth face mask), make sure you wash it as soon as possible in the laundry machine or by hand using a regular detergent, at a temperature of 60^ο C and then iron it.

It should be noted that the use of face masks is a complementary measure and does not replace the main safety measures, such as physical distancing, respiratory hygiene (use of tissue when coughing or sneezing), hand hygiene and avoiding touching the face.

For FAQs and videos see the World Health Organization website, here: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks.

Guidelines for home isolation of suspect COVID-19 case

• People who are contacts of a suspect or confirmed COVID-19 case (i.e. family members, friends, acquaintances, healthcare workers) should monitor their health condition (temperature check twice a day) 14 days from the last exposure.  It is wise to keep daily contact with healthcare professionals throughout the entire monitoring period.
• In case a person under self-isolation experiences respiratory infection symptoms (i.e. fever, cough, sore throat, difficulty in breathing) they should contact immediately their physician or the Hellenic National Public Health Organization (Tel No: 1135 or 210 5212 054), for further guidance.
• For instructions on what to do at home and how to offer care if one of your family members has COVID-19, please go here https://eody.gov.gr/neos-koronoios-covid-19-odigies-gia-frontida-ypoptoy-kroysmatos-sto-spiti/ (in Greek).

General Hygiene Precautions

Don’t forget!

Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and throw it in the trash right away. Keep your hands away from your face. Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds using soap and water, especially before eating and after you go to the bathroom.

For students: Don’t exchange items (such as pen, pencil, eraser, mobile phone, banknotes, coins, etc.) with your classmates. Keep 1.5 m away from everyone, inside and outside school. If you feel sick let your parents / guardians or your teacher know immediately and stay home until you feel completely fine.

Link

Before travelling to and from Greece, find out about the restrictions that may apply at the time of your trip, from the websites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (https://www.mfa.gr/en/current-affairs/statements-speeches/welcome-to-greece.html), the Civil Aviation Authority (http://www.ypa.gr/el/news) and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and InsularPolicy (https://www.ynanp.gr/el/gr-epikoinwnias-enhmerwshs/prostasia-apo-neo-koronoio-nomothesia/).

Advice for Travellers: 

• The risk for travelers is considered moderate. It is recommended that travelers avoid nonessential travel to areas with presumed local transmission of COVID-19 – Link.
•  If you develop fever and/or respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath or cough up to 14 days after you have returned, it is recommended that you stay indoors and immediately seek medical attention mentioning your recent trip, or contact the National Public Health Organization (1135, 210-5212054).
• All travelers entering Greece (including children over 5 years old) need a valid Digital COVID Certificate issued in EU, Schengen countries and other non-EU countries (and territories) that have joined the EU Digital COVID Certificate system (or) a negative molecular test result (PCR) for COVID-19, performed up to 72 hours before their entry to Greece, (or) Rapid test performed up to 24hrs.For more information check the Government’s official website for travelling here: https://travel.gov.gr/#/.
• Visitors upon arrival might be subject to a random rapid antigen test, which should be negative. If the test is positive, they will have to go into quarantine for 5 days, either at home or other place indicated by authorities.
• For information on international flights, please note that COVID-19 might impact your travel to/from Greece. Important information about your travel plans from/to Greece can be found on the IATA website here https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php and here https://www.aia.gr/traveler/travellers-info/faq-for-covid19.

The compilation of announcements by the Greek State is based on measures taken by the Greek Government. The content of the Greek State announcements does not necessarily reflect the views of UNHCR. Please note that this summary of announcements by the Greek State is not an official UNHCR document and therefore all news sources and links provided should be quoted and referred to, if need be.