Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42776735›Full record

ArticleEpidemiologia (Basel, Switzerland)2026

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece, 2020-January 2023: An Analysis Based on National Digital COVID-19 and Vaccination Registries.

Ivo Rakovac, Christos Triantafyllou, Vion Psiakis, Adela Galinovic, Ana Marques Domingues, Pavlos Myrianthefs, Joao Breda

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Epidemiologia (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ivo RakovacWHO Regional Office for Europe, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-6815-5274
Christos TriantafyllouWHO Athens Quality of Care and Patient Safety Office, Ploutarchou 3, 10675 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-3198-3965
Vion PsiakisWHO Athens Quality of Care and Patient Safety Office, Ploutarchou 3, 10675 Athens, Greece.
Adela GalinovicWHO Athens Quality of Care and Patient Safety Office, Ploutarchou 3, 10675 Athens, Greece.
Ana Marques DominguesWHO Athens Quality of Care and Patient Safety Office, Ploutarchou 3, 10675 Athens, Greece.
Pavlos MyrianthefsDepartment of Nursing, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Papadiamantopoulou 123, 11527 Athens, Greece.
Joao BredaWHO Athens Quality of Care and Patient Safety Office, Ploutarchou 3, 10675 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-8177-4926

Funding

World Health Organization - Denmark
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesFrom early 2020, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic spread rapidly worldwide, bringing unprecedented challenges. It severely disrupted health, social, and financial systems while exacerbating poverty and socioeconomic problems globally. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and general health status-including age, comorbidities, and COVID-19 vaccination status-of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients as documented in Greek national registries, with a particular emphasis on COVID-19-related mortality.

methodsAnonymized individual-level data were obtained from the national digital registries of COVID-19 patients and vaccinations. Data extraction was initiated on 7 January 2023, and the linked anonymized dataset was provided to the research team on 18 January 2023. The data sets were linked by the e-Government Center for Social Security Services using the Greek social security number (AMKA). Data on comorbidities were estimated by, and extracted from, medicine prescriptions in outpatient settings using the standardized therapeutic prescribing protocol as defined by the Ministry of Health of the Hellenic Republic. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with COVID-19 death.

resultsOf 33,740 people who died of COVID-19 infection, 70.0% (23,606) were not vaccinated. Sixty-seven point two percent (18,474) of individuals dying from COVID-19 were 70 years or older and not vaccinated. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity among patients who died from COVID-19 (67.1%). Among the 27,489 recorded COVID-19 deaths in individuals aged 70 years or older, unvaccinated individuals with two comorbidities accounted for 17.6% of deaths, while unvaccinated individuals with three comorbidities accounted for 16.7%. The multivariable analysis showed a much lower risk for people who had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine compared to those who are unvaccinated [odds ratio (OR) = 0.35; 95% CI: 0.33-0.36]. The existence of one or more comorbidities increased the risk of death (OR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.09-1.11).

conclusionsMost COVID-19 fatalities in Greece occurred among unvaccinated individuals over 70 years of age. Mortality among vaccinated individuals was relatively low and was predominantly observed in those with multiple underlying health conditions. Thus, increasing Greece's vaccination rate and addressing non-communicable diseases could significantly lower future COVID-19 deaths.

Indexed as

COVID-19Greecemortalityrisk factorsvaccination

Identifiers

PMID42776735
PMCPMC13600023

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.