“The transmission of coronavirus does not take place in closed spaces,” claimed Greece’s health minister Thanos Plevris on Monday, while the daily briefing by the National Health Care Organization EODY was halted amid the summer wave of the pandemic with around 20,000 infections daily and over 20 corona-related deaths in the last couple of weeks.
Speaking to Alpha TV, Plevris pulled this unscientific argument out of his right back pocket with the aim to explain why the government does not take any measures in order to deal with the new wave of the pandemic.
Note that coronavirus infections started to rise again in the country, once the mandatory use of masks indoors was dropped in the beginning of June to coincide with the tourism season.
“There is a recommendation to use a mask where there is crowding. But the transmission does not take place indoors,” Plevris stressed.
He added that “in our country at this time, closed spaces are limited. The transmission takes place mainly in open spaces and at young ages where there is intense entertainment.”
The Health Minister’s proposal remained limited to “observing the measures without the concept of obligation.”
Recently, however, the management of the pandemic tends to become uncontrollable in terms of communication, with contradictory statements, especially by the Minister of Health.
It is not the first time that controversial statements came by the Health Ministry, health and non-health experts and government officials have rather confused the citizens than helped them through these difficult time.
But now the management of the pandemic at the level of communication with citizens tends to become uncontrollable .
It is clear that Plevris’ arguments are political and economical as the government eyes at tourism as main source of revenues.
However, it is beyond any seriousness and responsibility to hear such an argument by the Minister of Health and thus after 2.5 years of pandemic where shops and businesses were shut down for long periods of lockdowns and Plevris colleague, Development Minister Adonis Georgiadis was pictured taking distance measures in restaurants or observing protection measures at organized beaches in May 2020.
Who can forget other government arguments such as that police officers do not transmit the virus, or that “intubated Covid-patients outside the ICU do not have a higher mortality. Or the country’s top health experts to claim “that children don;t get infected with Covid due to an enzyme in their nose” or even that “wearing mask is dangerous.”
Few months later, a fine of 300 euros was imposed to everyone seen around, indoor or outdoors, without a mask.
PS Plevris may be right after all: all supermarkets, retail shops, beauty salons, are nowadays outdoor spaces after they teared down the walls of …stupidity.
Fantastic news for this winter. Thank you.
rumors claims he said “see you in Sept, s*ckers!”
Very fluid situation, much information is being gathered about the covid and the vaccinations and new guidance is coming. I am glad to see he is not outlawing the use of masks ( in banks etc, which I believe was previously the case? ) and i will gladly support anyone who for their concerns wish to continue to wear a mask in inside establishments. This must not be made illegal or for it to be mandatory to have to not wear a mask.
mask is and will remain illegal only if you are a robber or an anarchist.
What an idiot
Who me? why? Take it easy, if you think i am an idiot after what has gone on the last couple of years, i have news for you, there are a lot bigger idiots around than me. I am just joining in with the incoherence of it all if i may.
i didn’t think he meant .you. apologies.
I wonder who believes politicians anymore when they keep changing the truth to suit their agenda? This is so typical, and definitely reinforces the stereotype of the politician con man.
I still remember during the first lockdown in early 2020 when we were told not to wear masks, that they did not help! And so much other contradictory information, even that it would not circulate in the summer.
If you are high-risk or have close contact with someone who is high risk, wear a mask indoors, even if you’re just running inside to use the restroom or grab something quickly from a store. Wear a mask outdoors if you’re going to be in close proximity to others.
The 15-minute rule no longer applies. You could get COVID even if you have a brief encounter with someone who is infected and it doesn’t have to be 15 minutes.
Why is this clown in office? If we can’t get infected indoors why were the unvaccinated not able to go to coffee shops, restaurants etc this past winter?
Because it was never about Covid. It’s about power.
Don’t we know it. But, unfortunately, all too many people believed the politicians and the pharmaceutical companies which have been selling snake-oil in the name of a vaccine that doesn’t work……