Following the example of Spain, Greeks came out in their balconies at 9:00 p.m. Sunday and clapped in gratitude to doctors and nurses fighting the coronavirus in the country’s hospitals. The call to action was supported by the wife of the Prime Minister, something that sparked also anger especial among the the medical personnel.
I think the dogs made more noise…and I wish there’d been more people…but it was nice. pic.twitter.com/pNYrX9LjrZ
— Karmolade (@TheKarmiDance) March 15, 2020
Όλοι μαζί θα τα (ξανα)καταφέρουμε! Οι γιατροί και το νοσηλευτικό προσωπικό στην πρώτη γραμμή κι εμείς από το σπίτι μας! Πάμε γερά, σας ευχαριστούμε! #COVIDー19 #καραντινα #ΜΕΝΟΥΜΕΣΠΙΤΙ #StayHome #menoumespiti #Corona #greece #COVID19greece 👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/AyhoBUFXfU
— Elias Christopoulos (@samosfriend) March 15, 2020
Internet users uploaded videos form their neighborhoods. The clapping was often accompanied by barking as dogs were excited about this late night noise in otherwise quite areas due to Stay Home .
Χειροκροτηματα στα Εξάρχεια στις 21:00 για τους γιατρούς και τους νοσηλευτές pic.twitter.com/6YbvbvbgtG
— NEWS 24/7 (@News247gr) March 15, 2020
Πόσα χειροκροτηματα εδώ στο Παλαιό Φάληρο…
Για τους ήρωες γιατρούς και νοσηλευτές..#COVIDー19
🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷 pic.twitter.com/1eCkmSQX1O— Sotiris Xenakis (@XenakisSotiris) March 15, 2020
I read on social media of a woman on her balcony clapping and saying that her son is wokring in a hospital and deserve a big applaud.
Residents in the neighborhood of #Pangrati clapping to honor the doctors and nurses working tirelessly to help those sick with the #COVIDー19 virus 🇬🇷
Thank you to #ASCSA Member Florencia Foxley for capturing the moment. pic.twitter.com/HZoJkV1Rxy
— ASCSA (@ASCSAthens) March 15, 2020
Thessaloniki
Patras
Criticism was not absent, and several Greeks lashed out with bitterness at the failing health care system, suffering from chronic problems that worsened during the economic crisis.
They criticized politicians supporting the action reminding the lay offs of medical and other personnel in 2014 – 7,900 people – when Mitsotakis was minister in charge.
Doctors and nurse posted on the gratitude action:
“Nice action but when we go tomorrow to work we’d need masks and gloves.”
Others lambasted the government planning to proceed with cooperation of public and private health care, largely privatization of the public system, hadn’t it be for the coronavirus.
Of course, we can come out and applaud for doctors, nurse and every hospital personnel fighting against the virus each and every day. However what they need are sustainable jobs, good satisfying salaries, secured labor rights and better working conditions, equipment and certainly more personnel. Not just during the virus crisis.
