The Greek government will give another 9 million euros to media for a public information campaign “stay at home” even though it prepares to gradually lift the lockdown restrictions. The amount adds to 11 million euros already given to the media for such campaign beginning of the month.
According to a joint ministerial decision issued on Saturday, the funds available for the Covid-19 public information campaign will increase by 9 million euros, to reach 20 million euros in total.
Government spokesperson Stelios Petsas said that this represents 0.295 of the fiscal measures adopted up until April in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic and that there is an express provision for local and regional mass media to be included in the allocation of this spending.
“Keeping the citizens informed is one of the most important weapons that we have in the fight against coronavirus,” he said adding that “information literally saves live.”
Greece’s success in containing the disease compared with other countries was based, on the level of communications, on emphasizing the need to stay at home despite the fatigue, and to continue to highlight the crucial importance of responsible, timely and reliable information, Petsas pointed out.
To meet these “two crucial criteria could not depend entirely on the willingness of the mass media to make a social contribution and the good will of their staff,” he said.
The campaign will not stop even if the country is to return to a “new normality”, he said as “this process will be long and slow,” and “targeted messages for different social and age groups, for different sectors of the economic activity,” are needed.
Pestas stressed that citizens will need to be “trained” in a new way of life and protected from misinformation and fake news, preventing insecurity, fear and panic from taking hold.
the provision for contractors through which the funds will be allocated will be limited to 1 percent.
Well thats a waste of tax payers money as yesterday around the park in Egaleo and in the town of Egaleo there were hoards of people out and only a few inches apart,acting like there was no killer virus in our midst,unbelievable behavior.No masks on,close together in supermarkets with no masks,neither staff.
there is no official advise for wearing masks.
There was official advice again the other day that masks should be worn,they change their minds all the time driving us all mad but its obvious without needing to be told that the wearing of masks is one of the very few things that we can do to help prevent the spread of Covid19 besides social distancing,and staying indoors,its obvious isnt it.
they speak for after lockdown lifting in closed spaces like work place, public transport, supermarkets… Risk in apparently higher in closed spaces not outdoors. with the mask has been this: no masks available (as in the beginning), we don’t need one. now masks avaible, we need one. Go figure.