“Window” for Easter in the village with a ticket self-tests -Scenarios examined by the expert committee | HELLAS

Greece is in a worsening phase with respect to the coronavirus pandemic, however, experts estimate that there is hope for an Easter with free movement outside the prefecture.

Cases in the country remain at high levels and the concern of infectious disease specialists lately has focused on specific areas, such as Thessaloniki, Achaia and Kozani, where there is rapid deterioration.

This was the reason why it was decided to exclude them from the opening of the stores, next Monday, as confirmed by the JMC with all the measures published in the Official Gazette. It is highlighted that “after an extraordinary meeting of the National Committee for the Protection of Public Health and taking into account the particularly worrying epidemiological panorama presented by the Regional Units of Thessaloniki, Kozani and Acaya, it is decided to suspend the reopening of the retail trade as of Monday April 5 in these three regions. Monday, April 12. “

The decision, as expected, provoked the reaction of the merchants in these areas, and some of them warned with “guerrillas”, opening the stores despite the pertinent directive.

“Window” for Easter in the village

Christos Hadjichristodoulou, professor of epidemiology at the University of Thessaly and a member of the Infectious Diseases Committee, spoke with SKAI about the course of the pandemic. The professor left open the possibility that he may be allowed to travel outside the prefecture at Easter, provided that the third wave has been controlled to some extent.

“If things go well and we have de-escalation, there could be movements with control – test at Easter,” he characteristically pointed out. Hadjichristodoulou also revealed that the committee will most likely suggest a self-check as a basic condition for coastal transport.

Regarding the opening of schools, the teacher pointed out that “when the self-tests come, we will discuss it, we will see the epidemiological data again and I believe that if the control of children is planned, we do not have to open them. “(ps the high schools) on April 12”. The same scenario, notably, was mentioned by the Minister of Education, Niki Kerameos.

The de-escalation is marginal before Easter

Regarding shopping centers, the professor, among other things, said that they are high-risk areas and reiterated that “we are going to take a good look at the epidemiological data and then we will decide.” At that time he explained that the openings are made as long as the epidemiological data go well and with an interval of at least 7 days.

He also said that if you consider that the peak occurred last week, we need about 4 weeks of de-escalation. “So we will get to Easter,” he characteristically pointed out. Regarding the tendency to lift measures, he stressed that the government took into account the fatigue of the people and took these measures. “The measures were not observed anyway. There was not much vigilance for inter-municipal travel. That is why the government made this decision. I think that an expansion valve is also needed. But we must not overdo it in general and understand that it is transmitted just as well outdoors. ”

To conclude, for the “freeze” of the reopening of retail in Thessaloniki, Acaya and Kozani, he stated that the development of the phenomenon is dynamic and they are closely monitoring it, while the decision was not made with a light heart but the new Data from hospitals of concern to the committee were studied.

See teacher statements on SKAI: