Greece orders private doctors to cover hospital shortages

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s government has issued a civil mobilization order that will oblige some doctors in the private sector to support the state health service during a surge in COVID-19 infections driven by the omicron variant. The emergency order was published Friday and will take effect next Wednesday affecting doctors specialized in pathology, pulmonology and anesthesiology, in four regions in northern Greece where state hospitals are suffering acute staffing shortages. Civil mobilization orders are used to keep essential services running, and have been introduced in the past to counter strikes. The current order will require doctors to work for the state for 15 days.