In a bid to drive up vaccination rates, Greece is offering young people a 150-euro (£130) cash card and one free month of phone data if they get their first Covid-19 jab.

The government hopes to get more young people vaccinated in the run-up to the hospital and decided that bribing them with freebies is the best way to do it.

The country is currently easing restrictions following a drop in reported infections; however, the government is concerned about the spread of the Delta strain.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at a ministerial meeting: “With the first jab of the vaccine [they] will get a prepaid card of 150 euros.

“It’s a debt to the youth, a gift out of gratitude.”

It is expected that an estimated 940,000 Greeks aged 18-25 who get their first shot by the end of the year will be eligible for the cash bonus.

The government said that these “freedom passes” will grant those eligible to spend it on summer holidays and cultural events from July 15^th.

According to government figures, a third of the 11 million Greek population has received both doses of the Covid-10 vaccine.

Government officials have said that they hope to have over 80% of its population fully vaccinated by autumn, but added that this is dependent on the public recognizing the “importance” of getting the jab.

Marios Themistocleus, General Secretary for Greece’s Ministry of Health said at a weekly briefing: “If the message is clear… this target can be achieved by the end of summer, early in September.”

Last week, Greece ended their mandatory wearing of face masks outdoors, and from Monday fully vaccinated Greeks will be permitted to go to work or the gym without a negative Covid-19 test.

This isn’t the first instance where businesses and other institutions have bribed the masses to get the jab with promises of freebies. In Ohio in the United States, the state is giving away five full-ride scholarships to any in-state college or university for residents between the ages of 12 and 17 who have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

When are people going to question why those in power are pushing so hard for us all to get the Covid-19 vaccine? We have never seen the same attitude taken towards other campaigns such as the flu jab – the public should be suspicious and concerned about the promotion of this experimental gene therapy.