Greek Civil Protection Deputy Minister for Crisis Management: «This Easter will be different – we will not go to church»

In the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, patience is a virtue, said the Health Ministry’s coronavirus spokesman and infectious diseases professor Sotiris Tsiodras on Monday evening.

Speaking at the televised daily briefing on the pandemic’s development, he said “ we will wait patiently, any prediction is uncertain,” but he added that mathematical models currently show a slow spread.

Tsiodras made a special reference to the issue of preventive protection of doctors and health workers at large, noting that the possibility was being considered of «providing them with a safe and effective therapy for a period between 8 to 12 weeks” as a preventative measure.

 

Children’s vaccinations

He also stressed that children’s vaccinations should continue regardless of the pandemic. «The timely vaccination of children aged up to two years, especially for the vaccinations of immediate priority, is very important,» he noted.

Tsiodras announced 56 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Greece in the last 24 hours and 5 new deaths, and said this brings the country’s total to 1,212 confirmed infections and 43 deaths.

From those who have died since the start of the outbreak, 32 were men and 11 were women, 90 pct had underlying health issues and their average age was over 70 years of age.

Some 72 patients are being treated in Intensive Care Units, of whom 14 are women. The average age of ICU patients is 65 years, and more than half of these suffer from underlying health issues. A total of 5 people have been discharged from ICUs so far.
Tsiodras added that some 15,961 diagnostic lab tests have so far been carried out in Greece.

 

PPC unit shutdown

Public Power Corporation’s (PPC) Unit 5 in Ptolemaida, western Macedonia, is temporarily suspending operations for preventative reasons, Civil Protection Deputy Minister for Crisis Management Minister Nikos Hardalias said on Monday during the daily briefing on the coronavirus pandemic.

Hardalias, who spoke after Tsiodras, said that all other PPC units in the area – a major producer of coal and electricity in Greece – are working with reduced staff for preventative reasons.

 

Curfew observance

He said that the police had checked on 4,697 people in the last three days to ensure they were observing stay-at-home measures, while 22 were found to have violated their curfews and fined.

Speaking of the upcoming Orthodox Easter (April 19), the minister said that «this Easter will be different – we will not go to our villages, we will not roast a lamb on a spit, and we will not go to church.» He acknowledged the temptations of an improving weather and longer days in breaking curfew, but called on the public to keep the measures and prevent additional ones from being imposed.

 

PPC clarification

Public Power Corporation’s (PPC) sources on Monday said that a decision for the temporary suspension of operations in Ptolemaida work site was taken by Civil Protection Authority in the framework of measures to protect public health in the region.

The responsibility for the operation of the work site is the exclusive responsibility of another company, it noted, while PPC supervises the project.

 

— Source: amna.gr

Πηγή: www.orthodoxianewsagency.gr