Coronavirus: Pupils to get day off school for jab, measures extended until October 8

Pupils aged 12 to 17 due to receive either dose of an anti-Covid vaccine will be entitled to take the day off school on the day of their vaccination, cabinet decided on Tuesday.

The move was a suggestion of Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas and was backed by the education ministry, a health ministry announcement said.

It was decided that pupils in this age group will be allowed to take the day off without being penalised on the day they have either dose of the vaccine, and that those days will not be taken from their yearly allowance of justified absences.

They will need to show the school their vaccination card to verify the dates are correct.

“The goal is to encourage vaccination among pupils and create safer circumstances within schools,” the announcement said.

The Council of Ministers also decided that existing coronavirus measures will be extended to October 8 to give officials enough time to re-evaluate them based on changes in the epidemiological factors.

Lastly, it was decided that people will be allowed free rapid tests for four weeks after they receive the first dose of the anti-coronavirus vaccine, instead of the previous three.