Greek authorities are expected to announce on Tuesday a new stricter set of measures for the Regional Unit of Attica as the number of daily coronavirus infections has been constant to three-digits and health experts are concerned because 60% of the ICU capacity in designated hospitals has been covered.
Health experts made clear this morning that the measures will be horizontal across the region that include the Greek capital Athens, and will not be imposed only to municipalities with an outbreak.
Professor of Infectious Diseases and member of the Committee at the HEalth Ministry, Nikos Sypsas said that the measures that will be announced today for Attica will be horizontal throughout the region and not in specific municipalities only.
Speaking to Skai TV, he pointed out, the measures proposed by the Commission to the government have nothing to do with the number of cases or the Ro index, which continues to remain below 1, around 0.89.
“What leads us to the new measures are some qualitative characteristics of the epidemic in Attica, such as the number of intubations, the number of hospitalizations, the large population and the density of the population. We must protect schools in advance,” Sypsas stressed adding that that the measures are expected to apply until the end of the month and a decrease in the number of cases by then.
“We have a dynamic flow of continuous cases in Attica resulting in 60% of the covering of ICU beds in Covid-19 clinics, we have patients who are seriously ill,” said professor of infectious diseases, Charalambos Gogos.
Speaking to Thema FM, Gogos said that the coverage of ICU beds “gives us a sense of danger and we must prevent it.”
He blamed the youth for the coronavirus situation in Attica, saying “this situation is due to the spread by younger ages in the summer.”
“This age group of 20-30 combined with the relaxation of protection measures by the 40-somethings transferred the curve to the 50-somethings and takes the most serious cases to older ages,” Gogos said.
He added that there is a number of patients under the age of 60. and that the seriously ill are about 70 years old on the average.
Gogos stressed that Greek capital Athens is “an area where spreading of the virus is easier, there is overcrowding, there is catering, there are bars, there are public transport that are an additional risk.”
He added that health experts hope that “things in schools will develop as they should, not only because children are less contagious but also because when children wear masks the chance of transmission is low.”
Municipalities with most cases
State broadcaster ERT TV reported that the Municipalities with the most cases are the one of Athens, of Piraeus and Kifissia. The situation has reportedly improved in the Municipalities of Glyfada and Vouliagmeni.
It is reportedly indicative that 809 coronavirus cases were confirmed in Athens within a week.
Placing municipalities in mini lockdown considered as impossible as many of the 5 million inhabitants in the area live in one municipality, work in another and often have to commute throughout others.
The Measures
The use of masks is reportedly considered to be compulsory in all closed spaces, while mandatory use of masks outdoors seems to be off the table and replaced by a strong recommendation.
According to Greek media, the measures under consideration and as proposed by the health experts are:
Rolling hours for workers in the private sector and public services.
Decrease of the maximum number of attendees at concerts, all kinds of events and social events.
Restriction of customers at dining tables
Further reduction of working hours for restaurants, bars, cafes, nightclubs, etc..
At the same time, there will probably be a new restriction on the number of people who will be able to attend all kinds of social events and ceremonies.
Number of people attending weddings and christening ceremonies is most likely to be reduced from 50 to 20.
Under consideration is the ban of all events that gather a large number of people such as concerts, theater performances or cinemas.
The possibility of extending tele-working to the private and public sector is also open.
There is consideration also about the operation hours of supermarkets and other food stores.
Note that a first set of restrictive measures have been imposed in Attica since mid-August.
The restrictive measures will be announced by the head of Civil Protection at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday.
