The Greek government is activating its confidential “Artemis” contingency plan to tackle the Covid-19 virus, with the mobilization of two new operational centers coordinated by the General Secretariat for Civil Protection, with a third in the process of being set up to have a supervisory role. The mobilization of the two new centers is possibly to take place on Friday.
The activation of this phase of the plan comes as Greece recorded its first death from the new coronavirus on Thursday and confirmed cases climbed to 117, with the government announcing a fresh batch of measures, including the two-week closure of theaters, courthouses, cinemas, gyms, playgrounds and clubs to control its spread.
The crisis management mechanism will be implemented by the Attica Police Headquarters (GADA), the Fire Brigade Coordination Center and the Greek Police (ELAS).
Accordingly, a pool of 150 specially trained officers will staff GADA and be tasked with tracking and identifying people that have come into contact with confirmed cases and taking quarantine measures.
At the Fire Brigade Coordination Center, 70 officers who have attended a special training program in recent weeks will provide instructions for quarantine compliance.
Based on the geographical distribution of cases, the General Secretariat for Civil Protection will be able to launch plans to establish – if needed – outdoor or floating hospitals in areas where patients exceed the capacity of intensive care units. [katimerini]
