ECDC: The third dose is important because it greatly protects against serious illness

"Those who have not yet had the first two vaccinations should get them. I want to emphasize that the third dose is important, because although the vaccine does not completely protect against infection, it does protect against a very serious disease. Meanwhile vaccines have been given for a year. "Billions of people have been vaccinated and we have a very global picture of their safety," said Andrea Ammon, head of the European Organization for Disease Control (ECDC), in an interview with the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency.

"We do not have any evidence to suggest that a fourth vaccination is necessary for everyone," he said, adding that "for those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, an active drug (antiviral pill) will be a good and necessary alternative." .

"As the spread of Omicron is so rapid and vaccination coverage is not enough, restrictive measures should continue to apply, which" should be adapted to the situation, "said the former head of the Institute's Infectious Diseases Department. Robert Koch of Berlin.

"Children and young people must continue to be educated. Of course all protection measures must be taken. "But the closure of schools is the last measure that one should take," he underlines.

He considers that "In the case of epidemics between the restriction of freedoms and the good of health, the latter prevails. "No one is affected so much on a personal level when it comes to preserving public health."

"The coronavirus has unpleasantly surprised me so often that I am careful with my predictions. "I hope we will not have to exhaust the Greek alphabet because there is a distance between Omicron and Omega and I hope we will not have to travel it," he concludes.