Update – 28/06/2021
June 28, 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 420,905. 18 new deaths were reported raising the total number to 12,664. The number of patients treated in intensive care units is currently 231. 236 new cases were announced yesterday in Greece. 107 of the new cases were found in the Attica region and 19 new cases in the Thessaloniki region.
The government will make announcements on Monday about the benefits-privileges of those who complete their vaccinations, Development Minister Adonis Georgiadis said on Saturday.
“It is not a question of privileges. It is a question of logic. When you decide not to get vaccinated you are more at risk. If you have decided not to be vaccinated, we must take measures that will protect you from your choice,” he told Mega channel, adding that these measures will concern indoor areas.
The government wants to propose these benefits as incentives for more people to get vaccinated.
Some benefits are already in place, with employees who have received their second dose being exempted from the self test required to go to work. They also do not have to quarantine if they come in contact with a confirmed case and they can travel to the islands without a test.
Any measures will be debated over the summer and the final decisions will eventually be implemented in the fall, when people return indoors.
More than eight million vaccine doses have been administered in Greece, a country with slightly less than 11 million residents.
According to official data published at website emvolio.gr, the number of vaccinations reached 8,028,343 Saturday, with 3,534,001 people fully vaccinated. On Saturday alone, 103,090 people were vaccinated, despite the heatwave.
At the same time, experts warn about a very likely spread of the “Delta” variant of the coronavirus, which originated in India.
Elias Mossialos, a former minister and Professor of Health Policy at the London School of Economics, said that it is certain that this mutation will become prevalent in Greece: the thing is how long authorities can delay the inevitable, Mossialos told Skai station.
“The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has said that the Delta mutation will prevail by the end of August in all EU countries and will account for 90% of all new cases,” Mossialos added.
Mossialos said that this 4th wave of the pandemic will hit those not vaccinated yet, including children and those with a suppressed immune system, for whom taking the vaccine will not be enough. A third vaccine dose for this latter category should be administered sooner rather than later, he said, adding that other vaccinated people should have few problems.
The Public Hospital Workers Federation (POEDIN) has bemoaned that medical staff are being unfairly targeted with inaccuracies over its opposition to the mandatory vaccination of health and welfare workers.
It said medical staff are participating massively in the vaccinations of their own volition.
“It is the social group that has the vast majority of vaccinations, reaching 90%,” said the federation, adding that health professionals strictly observe personal protection measures and, if they fail to do so, are strictly disciplined by relevant bodies.
It added that the pandemic has taken a heavy toll on their profession, noting that 27 colleagues have died due to the coronavirus and their death was not characterized as a work accident.
“We are against the obligation to vaccinate health and welfare workers. Making it obligatory violates constitutional freedoms and individual rights,” it said.
Greece remains on the UK’s “amber list” for travel, meaning that tourists will be required to quarantine upon their return to the UK, following the publication of the government’s revised lists on Friday.
This news is a big blow to the Greek tourism industry, which relies on the UK for much of its profit as the third largest single market for tourists to Greece.
UK tourism is a huge contributor to the 25 percent of Greece’s GDP which comes directly from the industry, as 3,499,325 people visited Greece from the country in 2019.
However, it seems that numbers are likely to be significantly lower for the first part of summer 2021, as UK tourists may choose to vacation somewhere where they are not forced to quarantine after they return to the UK.
“Amber” light nations like Greece require 10 days of isolation upon return to the UK. Vacationers also need a negative test before their return flight and two PCR tests after arrival — one on day two and the second on day eight.
In this tier, there is also the option to take a PCR test on day five of quarantine in order to be allowed to exit quarantine early, which could be a relief for British travelers returning from Greece.
Unfortunately, Greece and its islands are still considered part of the Amber list.
This news comes as a huge blow, particularly since there have been multiple developments, such as the improving coronavirus situation in the nation and mass-vaccination campaigns on the islands, which many believed would clinch Greece a place on the coveted “Green list.”
The UK government reviews its travel regulations every three weeks, meaning Greece’s next chance to make it on to the Green list is July 16, well into the normal Summer tourist season.
In more detail, the 236 new cases detected per Regional Unit:
