[16-04-2021] Greece

The Athens Medical Association asks for legal intervention protecting Heads/Employers of Primary Healthcare Centers from legal action against them from patients who claim they caught the COVID-19 disease while being treated there.

The Athens Medical Association has sent a letter to both the Minister of Health and Minister of Justice in Greece, stressing the importance of protecting Heads/Employers of Primary Healthcare Centers from future possible legal action taken from patients, who claim they caught the COVID-19 disease while being treated there. This move comes after emerging news that a clinic in Peiraeus, Greece, was found having quite a few new COVID-19 cases, even after having adopted all precautionary measures.

It is a firm belief of the Athens Medical Association, that vaccination against COVID-19 (in both Private and Public Healthcare) is the most effective measure to take in order to protect future patients and public health in general. It recognises, though, that on one hand it is non-mandatory, protecting one’s right to self-determination, on the other hand denying a vaccination may put others at risk.

There was a previous letter sent to the Minister of Health in February, asking for guidelines concerning medical and administrative staff denying to take a COVID-19 vaccine. This one though highlights the issue of a Head/Employer of Clinic or Hospital being considered legally accountable for COVID-19 transmission of a non-vaccinated member of staff, to patients.

Source: isaathens.gr