“If we had 5000 ICUs, we’d have more deaths,” says Greek Minister

“If we had more ICUs, we would have more deaths.” This unbelievable claim came by State Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis on Tuesday morning. The close aide of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that if the  hospitals were equipped with more ICUs, then more patients would die as 50% of Covid-19 patients in ICU do not survive.

Speaking to state broadcaster ERT Gerapatritis said: “If we had 5,000 ICUs, this would mean in the normal course of events that we would have a much higher number of dead.” The purpose “is not to maximize those who enter the special treatment, but to reduce the phenomenon,” he added.

Gerapetritis’ argument was the response to criticism to the shortage of ICU beds amid the pandemic.

“Obviously we would like to have two, three and five thousand ICUs. But keep in mind that ICUs are not the solution, we must first take care of ourselves so that we do not have to resort to these Units. Assuming we had 5,000 ICUs this would mean we would have a much higher number of deaths. Because mortality in ICUs is halved. The aim is not to increase those who enter but to reduce the phenomenon by observing the measures and having as much social distance as possible.”

The statements of the State Minister are made a day after a 35-year-old Covid-patient died in Trikala, central Greece. The man was in need of ICU but as there was no bed available in Trikala or in the broader area of Thessaly, he was supposed to be transferred to Halkida, some 250 km away. The virus was quicker. The man  died of cardiac arrest as many Covid-patients.

The depth of nonsense* must be immense among the populist “Trumpistas” inside the Greek government. According to Gerapetritis, 5,000 ICUs would equal with 2,500 deaths, 50,000 ICUs with 25,000 deaths.

In this sense, if we had 0 ICUs, we would consequently have 0 deaths?

If we would stop testing and close the ICUs we would exterminate the Covid-19 from the country?

Who can’t recall US President Donald Trump who was attributing the infections to Covid-19 testing?

Among others, Gerapetritis admitted that the government does not have any intention to spend money on the pandemic and said that “the requisition of private clinics or doctors is the last refuge as it has a high cost.” The government pays some 1,600 euros per day per Covid-19 patient in “requisitioned” private clinics.

The state minister’s statements come a day after another minister, the one of Development, said “we celebrate as a country because we have 12 times fewer deaths than Belgium.”

Purpose of all these silly statements is not to inform the society about the curse of the pandemic or the authorities’ actions to protect the society but a government narrative claiming all is fine in this country. “Personal responsibility” goes hand in hand with “government responsibility” which the ruling neo-liberal government refuses to assume.

*quote by Evangelos Antonaros, ex spokesman of former ND PM Costas Karamanlis