Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Thursday a three-week nationwide lockdown due to the increase of coronavirus cases and pressure on the health care system.
The lockdown imposed across the whole country will start at 06:00 a.m Saturday, 7. November, and will last until 30. November 2020, the Prime Minister said.
Citizens will have to send <SMS> to <13033> in order to leave their homes.
Mandatory use of mask in-and outdoors.
Suspended is the operation of activities such as of retail stores. Exception: supermarkets, pharmacies and other essential stores.
Mitsotakis said that the difference to the first lockdown in spring is that kindergarten and elementary schools will remain open. Gymnasiums and lyceums will shut down, and education will continue via e-learning courses.
Regarding financial measures to support those affected by the lockdown the Prime Minister announced that in “suspended work contract” will receive 800 euros instead of 534 euros at the beginning of December. Long-term unemployed will receive a financial aid of 400 euros, unemployment allowances are extended for two months, November and December.
“We want the citizens as allies to this great effort,” Mitsotakis said.
Justifying the reason for not waiting the restrictions imposed since November 3 to bring results, the Prime Minister said that “an aggressive increase of infections has been recorded in the last 5 days, and I can’t wait and take the risk of a dramatic pressure on the health care system.”
Greece’s top epidemiologist, Professor for Infectious Diseases, Sotiris Tsiodras, who was present at the live presser with the Prime Minister, said “we were surprised with the infections increase in the last few days.”
On Wednesday, Greece hit a triple record with 2,6466 new coronavirus cases, 18 deaths within 24 hours and the number of intubated Covid-19 reached 179 in total thus decreasing the number of available ICU beds.
The pandemic curve shows that Greece has exceeded 1,600 daily cases,” Tsiodras said adding that the coronavirus infections have increased since the end of October. Regarding the age groups, he said that there have been 1,000 people of high risk groups infected in the last 7 days.
“Since September 10, the rate of positive tests exceeds 9%,” he added.
Head of Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias will specify the lockdown restrictions at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. KTG will report about them later, including the SMS options guide, travel between regions, hours of night curfew etc.
Finance Minister Christos Staikouras will announce the economic measures to support businesses and workers at 3:00 pm today.
PS Tsiodras and the other kids of the Greek health bloc must have been be the only surprised in the country as they have been probably ignoring crowding in public transport means due to shortage of schedules, crowding in and around churches, in open and secretly held parties.
The health experts here are “excused,” if they recommended stricter measures earlier but the government and the Prime Minister refused to implement.
Νot to mention all the confusing restrictions & measures since last week that have citizens be literally fed up with the issue of protection.
keeptalkinggreece.com
