Greece’s National Committee for Infections decided on Thursday to recommend the use of masks in closed spaces, hospitals and health facilities as well as in public transport means after the constant increase of hospitalizations due to Covid-19 and the low rate of updated vaccination.
Over 1,600 people are currently hospitalized with Covid-19, of them 70 are intubated, health expert Gkikas Majiorkinis told ANT1 TV.
The decision was taken as there is concern among experts after the increase in patients hospitalized with coronavirus and flu, which has been recorded in recent weeks.
Experts expect a further rise of infections after the festive days of Christmas and New Year.
For each hospital, there will be a special committee that will decide whether the use of a mask will become mandatory or there will simply be a recommendation, both for patients and visitors, as well as for employees.
The specifications are to be announced by the Ministry of Health tomorrow, Friday.
The new spread of the coronavirus is bringing hundreds of new hospital admissions, which exceed 1,300 per week, while scientists studying mathematical models of the spread of the Covid-19 disease see an increase in intubations and deaths within January.
According to official data, very high-risk patients, for example, are in Greece about 250,000 and to date only 170,000 vaccines against Covid have been administered. This means means that not even the people most at risk of hospitalization and death from the coronavirus have been vaccinated.
According to Health Ministry official data, it appears that until 22/12/23, vaccinated with the updated Pfizer XBB have been only 150,574 citizens. while another 8,329 citizens have scheduled their vaccination.
159,332 citizens are aged 12 and over,
of these, 127,515 citizens are over 60 years old (79.9%),
222 citizens between 5-11 years old,
20 citizens aged 6 months to 4 years
The relaxation of protective measures against Covid-19, combined with low vaccination coverage, the decline of immunity and the existence of a new and even more contagious variant of the coronavirus, JN.1, have again reportedly created a very difficult epidemiological situation.
Greece’s weekly report on the course of Covid-19, flu and other seasonal inflections will be published tomorrow, Friday, December 29.
PS Had the government did not seemed so relaxed about the Covid the situation would have been eventually much better. No masks in hospitals and health facilities? That’s a clear No-No.
Hospitalized with covid is not a cup of tea everyone would love to play with. Trust me. Due to my own covid-infection I was twice in such a clinic to receive anti-virus injections. it was so sad to see isolated patients, many of them elderly, many of them struggling to breath under the oxygen mask.
But what I experience also was the lack of preventive measures in the Covid Emergency Department of one of the biggest hospitals in Athens. Covid-patients, their accompanied persons and whatever other visitors in one room. Patients transporter to clinic or for xrays without mask or gloves. The doctor on duty with no special protection other than double gloves (no change from patient to patient) and double masks. The poor woman was breaking down.
On the other hand and in another hospital, the Covid ER was perfectly organized to protect relatives, friends and patients of non-Covid.
This is what happens when there no the same guidelines but each hospital decides for itself.
KTG: I was twice in such a clinic to receive anti-virus injections
What were the anti-virus injections, I didn’t know there were any.
there are for people after the 4th day of infection who can no longer take the Paxvovid pills.
“For each hospital, there will be a special committee that will decide whether the use of a mask will become mandatory or there will simply be a recommendation, both for patients and visitors, as well as for employees.”
One might reasonably think that obsessive mask wearing would be accompanied by impeccable hygiene, particularly in hospitals but apart from one private clinic, my experience of hygiene is that proper cleaning is never done – (for me it has been from the perspective of visiting a patient).
I really wish resources were spent on this aspect rather than “special committees”. Hygiene in schools should be another priority.
proper cleaning is done, it’s only that the buildings are in miserable conditions and therefore they always look dirty.
I am talking about dirty and smelly toilets etc.
this is in relation with selfish patients/accompanying persons. there cannot be one cleaner outside each WC
There is not a single positive randomized trial for any antiviral on the market, post the era of omicron (2021), or in people with a prior vaccination.
Not a single positive randomized trial.
Not only that but since when is there a shot for a Virus you know like the cold virus
Also a virus is so small it passes thru the mask these experts rave about
My MD stated the shot will not keep you from getting the virus it will not keep you from spreading it
The best it will do it make it less severe it you get the virus
But In responis to the above statement yes this vaccine has not been properly clear thru clinical trials as it normally required
The mainstream media keeps having stories about well known people getting covid many times after they got the full series
Maybe wash your hands and don’t
Cough or sneeze on people
Who actually benefits from all these injections as many people have multiple COVID infections. The new billionaires in big chemical companies? Of course they do which is why a comprehensive vaccine will never be created. Just like influenza which has been around for decades. Fortunately for mice lovers many do survive the experiments.