Update – 06/09/2021
September 6, 2021
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As of the latest update by the Greek authorities, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 diagnosed cases in Greece 599,951. 43 new deaths were reported raising the total number to 13,886. The number of patients treated in intensive care units is currently 381. 1,291 new cases were announced yesterday in Greece. 254 of the new cases were found in the Attica region and 115 new cases in the Thessaloniki region.
Amid Greece’s dire epidemiological forecasts regarding this autumn, health experts are raising concerns over what they describe as an explosive cocktail.
The ingredients of this cocktail are the low vaccination coverage of the population, at only 52-53% – well below the corresponding average in Europe – and the increasing pressure on hospitals, which will be further compounded by reduced staff numbers as a result of the suspension of unvaccinated medical workers.
“We will have strong upheavals until Christmas and then the epidemic wave will begin to de-escalate,” said Nikos Sypsas, professor of infectious diseases at Athens University, head of the Infection Unit at the Laiko Hospital and a member of the committee of experts advising the government on the pandemic.
“The Delta variant has a reproduction rate that reaches 8, while the original virus did not exceed 2.4. This huge contagion, combined with the large number of unvaccinated people, almost 4 million, creates ideal conditions for the outbreak of cases,” he said.
“On the other hand, there are many who are vaccinated – almost half the population – and vaccines may not protect against infection, but they do protect against serious illness, intubation and death. We will have shocks, then, but I believe that we will endure,” Sypsas said.
For his part, Ioannis Kioumis, professor of pulmonology and infectious diseases at Aristotle University, said that the omens are not promising.
“Unlike this time last year, when Covid units were almost empty, this year we entered September with a lot of cases, with the virus now infecting vaccinated people and medical staff are exhausted,” he said, adding that with the suspensions of healthcare workers, “it is certain that in the coming months, autumn and winter, we will find ourselves in an even more difficult position.”
September is seen as a pivotal month for the overall course of the government as it marks the beginning of the new political season.
For one, the dynamics of the pandemic and its effects on the economy will become clear. Moreover, the government will seek to limit the political impact of the summer wildfires and the side effects of the recent reshuffle with retired army general Evangelos Apostolakis’ refusal to accept a ministerial post.
As a result, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitisotakis’ speech at the Thessaloniki Trade Fair this month – where he will unveil the roadmap for economic policy over the next two years – takes on added significance. Special attention will also be given to the pressure on households by possible price increases, such as power hikes. At the same time the pandemic remains a serious source of concern. Despite the relative stabilization of the coronavirus and the increase in vaccination rates after the summer dip, the challenges that lie ahead remain formidable.
Among these is the opening of schools and universities, the forthcoming exclusion of unvaccinated people from many inside areas, the operation of the National Health System after the suspensions, and the gradual deterioration of the weather, when most social life moves back indoors.
The government’s two main priorities are to avoid pressure on the National Health System and a possible consequent lockdown of the economy, which would not only have high budgetary costs but also halt the high growth rates of recent months. It now considers it certain that GDP growth will exceed the recorded target of 3.6%, with some estimates looking at about 5%.
As for the unvaccinated, they will start to feel the pressure when their movements will be curtailed in the fall and winter and workers will have to bear the financial cost of successive molecular tests. Encouragingly, from August 15 until Friday morning, 296,364 vaccination appointments were booked.
The situation at schools appears manageable, given the high rates of vaccinated teachers and the fact that student testing will increase significantly. On the other hand, there is clearly a greater concern about universities. Unvaccinated students will have to submit negative molecular tests, with senior-ranking government officials expressing strong doubts about whether the system can work, given the prevalent, charged, atmosphere.
In more detail, the 1,291 new cases detected per Regional Unit:
