Wide range of age groups to be vaccinated in May, minister says, as inoculations pick up pace

The minister was referring to the fact that inoculation appointments for three specific age groups (30-39, 40-44, 45-49) are becoming available this week. Citizens aged 50 and over are already being inoculated. As of May 5, he noted, a total of 1,500 vaccination centers will be administering vaccines nationwide.

The target, he said, is to complete 2 million vaccinations in May and 3 million in June.

Speaking alongside the minister, Professor Vana Papaevangelou said that the coronavirus pandemic steadily subsided for a second consecutive week, thus dropping nationally by 14 pct, bringing the rate of positive infections down to 4.5 pct.

Also at the briefing, Professor Gkikas Magiorkinis pointed out that both the regions of Attica and Thessaloniki, the country's most densely populated, have seen a reduction in the virus' dispersal by 11 pct and 14 pct, respectively, the first over the last three weeks, and the latter over the last two weeks.

Both members of the health ministry's committee of coronavirus experts did note, however, that infection rates remain high, and that the total number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals stands at 5,300, whether in regular wards or at ICUs.