Planning, not sparkle, will get us to herd immunity

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis recently estimated that some 2 million people will be vaccinated against Covid-19 by the end of March and expressed satisfaction with the current rate of 8,000 to 9,000 jabs a day. He also said that Greece is doing a lot better in terms of vaccination that wealthier European countries and that four big vaccination centers will be ready within the next couple of months with the ability to inoculate 20,000 people a day.

In a similar spirit, government spokesman Christos Tarantilis said that vaccinations would pick up in the next few months when a greater supply becomes available, while also estimating that Greece will achieve herd immunity in the summer.

What a great thing it would be if everything goes just as Mitsotakis and his associates say. It appears unlikely.

For starters, the Greek state machine is not renowned for its...