Update – 23/03/2021
March 23, 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 is 238,830. 69 new deaths were reported raising the total number to 7,531. The number of patients treated in intensive care units is currently 681. 1,707 new cases were announced yesterday in Greece. 801 of the new cases were found in the Attica region and 130 new cases in the Thessaloniki region.
With the situation in public hospitals in Attica described as dramatic, 206 private doctors drafted by the Health Ministry are expected to present themselves at public hospitals on Tuesday. Tellingly, there were 60 patients intubated in single rooms waiting to be admitted to intensive care units on Monday morning in Attica while that number continued to rise during the day. Half of those patients had Covid-19, while the rest were non-Covid cases, which means that even the private sector does not have enough room to help. Already up until Monday, out of the 170 ICU beds in Attica’s private clinics, 140 had been given to the National Health System.
“The lack of staff leaves no room for optimism,” a doctor from a reference hospital told Kathimerini. “Even if we had space to treat the patients, and a stadium with beds and equipment, we do not have the staff to take care of so many patients,” the doctor added. The requisition of doctors was announced after just 70 responded to the urgent call issued by the Health Ministry. The requisition order will last for one month and the choice of doctors was based on their experience and age (under 60 years old).
Meanwhile, the number of intubated Covid-19 patients across Greece reached 681 on Monday, while new patient admissions came to 394. About 200 patients with coronavirus are being admitted to Attica hospitals for treatment on a daily basis. In the fight against this third and most aggressive wave of the pandemic, the government will deploying self-testing.
The measure is expected to start in early April, with details still under consideration. What is certain is that it will be free and members of the public will be able to do four such tests a month in a simple way at home.
Speaking to Skai TV on Monday, Digital Governance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis said a platform is already ready on which people can declare any positive self-testing. Those who test positive at home will have to have a molecular test that will confirm the result so, for example, they can take leave from work.
Plans for a substantial reopening of economic activities, such as retail on March 29 and that of schools, are expected to be shelved and reconsidered when the number of coronavirus cases stabilize and start to decline, according to government sources on Monday. Echoing the same sentiment, Alkiviadis Vatopoulos, professor of microbiology at the University of West Attica, estimated that it is very difficult for retail to open on March 29 if new reported cases are still exceeding 2,000. “Any opening has its risks,” he told Skai TV on Monday, adding however that the first tentative opening of hairdressers was the right thing as it offers society some respite and raises morale somewhat. Government sources said that there are no stricter measures that the state can take and that it is now up to members of the public to comply with the existing restrictions. Any further decisions are expected by the end of the week when the data will be evaluated.
A strict lockdown imposed on the island of Leros on March 17 due to a rising numver of Covid-19 infections was extended to March 29, Deputy Minister for Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias announced on Monday.
Under the lockdown rules, only those going to or from their workplace, shopping for food or medicine, visiting a doctor or pharmacy, taking brief exercise or walking their pet will be allowed to leave their homes.
The decision was taken to contain the ongoing outbreak of new cases on the island.
Greece reopened the Acropolis in Athens and other ancient sites nationwide on Monday as the country begins its preparations for the tourist season. Archaeologists are now also urging the government to reopen all archaeological sites and museums with the necessary health protection measures in place.
The public will be able to visit the historical sites with social distancing measures in place and mandatory use of a face mask.
The move came following the government’s announcement last week that new, less strict measures will be imposed to reduce the lockdown fatigue in the country.
In more detail, the 1,707 new cases detected per Regional Unit:
