Greece will make Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for people aged 60 and over, as the country grapples with a new surge in coronavirus cases.
Authorities said they would impose a €100 fine on every individual over the age of 60 who was not vaccinated.
The measure would apply each month from 16 January onwards.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he struggled with the decision, but it was necessary to protect more than half a million elderly Greeks who had failed to get the jab.
“Its the price to pay for health,” he said.
About 63% of Greece’s around 11 million population is fully vaccinated.
While vaccine appointments have picked up in recent weeks, health ministry data shows there are 520,000 people over the age of 60 who have failed to get a jab.
Greece this month barred unvaccinated people from indoors spaces including restaurants, cinemas, museums and gyms as daily Covid-19 cases hit record highs.
It has recorded 931,183 infections and 18,067 deaths since the start of the pandemic last year.