The issue of the pandemic and vaccination dominated the dialogue between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece in front of the TV cameras at the Maximos Mansion.
“We hope that the high temperatures will also help to further limit the coronavirus and its spread. As you know, we are in good shape, we have significantly reduced the outbreaks, we have greatly accelerated vaccinations,” Mitsotakis said and added:
“But as we have discussed several times, to convince our fellow citizens who are still suspicious of vaccines to rush to get vaccinated. This is especially true for our elderly citizens who are most at risk if they fall ill. It is really very sad when we see that even today we still have hospital admissions, admissions to intensive care units, our fellow citizens losing their lives and almost all of them being unvaccinated when they had the opportunity to protect themselves through the vaccine.
That is why I would like to ask you once again for your encouragement and possibly through the sermons of the priests to the congregation so that the suspicious can take this additional step, to convince them that this is something that is not only imperative in order to get back to our normal rhythms but is basic self-protection for themselves and their families. You have done it many times before and I want to thank you, I will ask you to do it one more time.”
Archbishiop Ieronymos stated:
“Yes. Look, it is our conviction now that in this big problem that we are all facing and struggling with, the cooperation of the State with the Church and with science is necessary. Everything that we often hear that is unorthodox, science cannot be at odds with religion, with our faith in the matter at hand. So this is our basic principle and we have done it, and will continue to do it, so that it becomes a conviction in this matter. This is the only way to build the wall that will guard us from what is likely to be new to project. So we have no objection, we will do it again and as many times as necessary.”
“Thank you because, after all, vaccination is an act of love and solidarity with our neighbours,” the Prime Minister replied.