Covid-19: so far rather spared, Greece is implementing new measures
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
With less than 600 dead, Greece has so far been relatively untouched by the coronavirus pandemic.
The number of cases detected is multiplying, however, and new measures intended to combat the spread of Covid-19 entered into force this weekend in the capital Athens as well as in a handful of regions of the country and some islands of the Cyclades.
Masks are now mandatory in the streets and a curfew is in place between half past midnight and five in the morning.
Publicity
Read more
With our correspondent in Athens,
Joël Bronner
In central Athens this weekend, the vast majority of passersby respect the new measure of wearing masks in the street.
Admittedly, some of them use their mask more like a neck warmer, a chin holder, a nose support or an ear decoration, but despite everything, recalcitrant or ignorant are very much in the minority.
So to breathe freely outdoors, the only legal solution is to consume, especially on the terrace of cafes.
A choice made by Nicky Kalkavoura, 34, who enjoys an iced tea with a friend, a few shopping bags at her feet and her blue mask now on her wrist.
Fragile hospital system
“
We are not used to wearing a mask wherever we are or during any of our trips, especially on foot
,” she explains.
It seems a little strange to me to get used to all of this.
Basically, I do not think that enough has been done at the level of hospitals to deal with this second phase of Covid-19.
While at the same time, the government is taking measures like these, which are probably not very useful
”
Useful or not, the new measures cannot make us forget that in Greece, the public hospital system, previously weakened by ten years of economic crisis, currently has only a thousand inhabitants in the whole country of 10 million. beds for intensive care, of which only 200 are intended for Covid-19 patients.
► (Re) listen
: The Covid-19 is influencing the tourist season in Greece
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Greece
Coronavirus
On the same subject
Reportage
Tourist season and Covid, another hard blow for Greece
Greece: twelve crew members of a cruise ship tested positive for Covid-19
After the coronavirus crisis, Greece hopes to save its summer tourist season