The Municipal Council is in favor of the return of health vaccines
He expressed his support for the request of suspended health care workers to return to work while observing all public health precautions with a vote of the Thessaloniki City Council during Tuesday’s meeting.
In the meeting room, there were former employees of ESY and EKAV, who asked for the support of the body. The representative of the health workers, a molecular geneticist at the 2nd Pathological Clinic of the Hippocratic Hospital, Athanasios Kalogeridis, reported that a total of 10,000 health workers from the private and public sectors, as well as another 10,000 private individuals to do the same episode.
A group of scientists, he said, sent a 107-page memorandum to the prime minister, the health minister, the infection committee and the expert committee with their scientific views, but never received a scientific response.
“We consider with the epidemiological data that apply today, if the obstacles are not good or bad, that the Omicron variant is a blessing, because it leads to respiratory infections with low mortality”, said Mr. Kalogeridis. He noted that health workers are now working in the National Health Service, while the effect of the vaccine they have given has expired even without the rapid test.
“It’s two standards,” he emphasized and added that health workers are willing to return to their work following all protection protocols, which, he said, are adopted by all European countries.
The lawyer of the health workers also took the floor at the meeting, who pointed out that these people have been without salary and insurance for 11 months, even though the facts have changed, while the hospitals are understaffed, as a result of which surgeries are being postponed.
The workers’ request was supported by the majority of the municipal councilors, although some of them expressed their disagreement about their choice not to be vaccinated. The head of the “Thessaloniki Together” faction, Katerina Notopoulou, spoke of the political brutality and inhumanity, who emphasized that the hospitals are already understaffed.
The head of the People’s Rally, Sotiris Zarianopoulos, spoke about the method involving the EKAV for the privatization of the national health system. Independent municipal councilor Drosos Tsavlis said in favor of vaccination, but that it should be mandatory for all social groups, who argued that the specific health workers are unfairly excluded. The head of the faction “Thessaloniki is the future”, Giorgos Orfanos, expressed the same opinion, who underlined that a divided society cannot be effective.
Spyros Bougias, the head of “POLYCHROME Thessaloniki”, stated that the time has come to make an assessment of a change of attitude, as the virus data has also changed, while the collapse of the NHS is possible. For his part, the head of the faction “Thessaloniki – Responsible”, Vassilis Gakis, said that the right to work must be supported, without mentioning vaccines.
However, the president of the Culture Center and the person responsible for Covid of the municipality of Thessaloniki, Haris Aidonopoulos, stated that he understands the anxiety of the health workers, but pointed out that this is a law of the state and that the municipal council is not legitimized to oppose state laws. He noted, however, that the body can support their transfer to services that are not in contact with the public.
In the resolution approved with three “presents” it is stated: “The Municipal Council of Thessaloniki recognizes the contribution of vaccines and science to the rapid response to the pandemic. Taking into account the new epidemiological data and protocols related to Covid-19 and the increased needs that exist in the city, as well as the valuable experience of the health workers, he stands in support of the suspended health workers’ fair request for an immediate return to their jobs , observing all the basic protocols and preventive measures in order to protect both themselves and those coming to the health structures. At the same time, with the support of the increased requirements of the National Health Service”.
Source: voria.gr