The next 48 hours are crucial for epidemiologists to decide in favor of even tougher measures, a so-called “hard lockdown” with curfew starting already at 6 p.m., in Attica and Athens due to a resurgence of coronaviurs cases.
The number of daily infections today and tomorrow will be decisive for further restrictions next to numbers of hospital admissions and intubations.
The Epidemiology committee advising the Health Ministry on the pandemic is holding an extraordinary meeting today after half (652) of total 1,261 new infections on Tuesday were detected in the Regional Unit of Attica and the Greek capital.
Should experts consider that the third wave of the pandemic has certain regions if not the whole country in its grip on Thursday, a hard lockdown is reportedly one way street.
Among the measures under consideration are reportedly:
- Curfew 6 p.m. – 5 a.m. in Attica and Athens, with shops to close at 5 p.m.
- Re-evaluation of the opening of gymnasiums.
Speaking to ANT1 TV on Tuesday, Head of Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias did not rule out a hard lockdown even throughout the whole country.
Next to Athens and Attica, there are increased infections also in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Patras in Peloponnese is considered as a “hot spot,” while latest reports speak of “increase of epidemiological load” in Crete, where 42 new cases were detected on Tuesday..
However, even experts in the country are divided whether a hard lockdown should be imposed, where schools will close again and retail shopping would return to click away only.
The president of the Greek Medical Association and member of the advising committee Athanasios Exadaktylos blamed the re-opening of schools as the reason for the resurgence. Others, blame the re-opening of the retail.
Some experts propose a 3-week hard lockdown like in March 2020, while they describe the curfew extension to 6 pm as “half measure.”
On its part, the government is pending between the public health and the economy and has decided to implement a close and opening of activities in the so-called “accordion style.”
Meanwhile, the mutated UK variant which is considered “more contagious” has set foot in the country.
Also for Wednesday, signs hint again for a four-digit number of new coronavirus cases, however, a bit lower than the 1,261 on Tuesday.
Nevertheless, the epidemiologists will announce if tougher measures are necessaeyor not on upcoming Friday with the final decision to be on the government.
Some media report, that the regional unit of Thessaloniki may be marked as “red zone” and be placed in tougher lockdown regime already today.
The hard lockdown is the only option available if the numbers keep growing.
The described hard lockdown is not as bad as has been done in China.
A hard lockdown there means you can only leave your house once a week to get food.
It has proven very effective in stopping COVID-19 numbers from growing when employed.
I just want Athens to get back to normal as quickly as possible where we can go to restaurants again.
I fear it won’t happen unless stricter methods and a vaccine are utilized.
There seems to be very little discussion at a national level about people going to offices for 8/10 hours a day and the implications. The road past Kalimarmaro up to Marousi is jammed every day- and this was before the “opening” of the 11th Jan. If the shops aren’t open, where is everyone going? I hear from so many friends that their bosses require them to come in for work that is 100% possible from home.
And just to quote a good Greek friend of mine “this is a *** half lockdown. It doesn’t stop anything, it just creates more admin as you need to self-certify for whatever you had planned anyway.”
I think the interrogation of the roles of schools and shops and socialising in the evening is important, but it feels like it’s really missing a big chunk of life that is just happening as usual.
I live on an island blessedly untouched by coronovirus. Last Friday I was visited by a chaarity collector from Athens. I am 83, I have asthma and high blood pressure and am very vulnerable. I;m angry at the stupidity. I would have liked the choice of whether or not I interacted with anyone from Athens.
We live an hour from where the shops are, we have supermarkets and pharmacies but no other shops. Are we allowed to travel for one hour, shop for up to two hours and then travel home?
We asked at the local police station and they said it was ok but we have now heard of people being fined for doing just that. No one we have asked seems to be sure either way, does anyone know?