Greek PM: Covid-19 Health and Safety Rules Must Be Followed

The health and safety measures Greece has taken to curb the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) must be followed to the maximum extent, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday.

During a meeting with ministers in Athens, the Greek PM highlighted that although the country’s framework of health and safety measures is “adequate”, there seem to be “issues” with its implementation.

Wednesday’s meeting was held to discuss stepping up checks to ascertain that the country’s measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 are being followed. The meeting followed the recent rise of Covid-19 cases in the country.

“We need to send a clear message: That in order not to face a possible second wave, the measures we have defined as necessary to ensure public health must be followed,” he said.

PM Mitsotakis underlined that authorities need to ensure that workers, especially in the tourism and food sectors, are following all the rules in accordance to the announced health protocols, which includes the mandatory wearing of facemasks.

He also underlined that authorities must ensure that overcrowding is being avoided, especially in indoor areas and mentioned recent incidents that saw bars and nightclubs not following capacity limits per enclosed spaces.

“I see that we have big problems there,” he said, adding that checks must be more strict and fines must be imposed.

PM Mitsotakis also called for local authorities to become more involved and ensure that the measures are being enforced in their destinations of responsibility.

During the meeting it was decided that checks will be carried out by a body operating under the supervision of the General Secretariat for Trade and Consumer Protection of the Ministry of Development and Investment, based on the epidemiological data provided daily by the General Secretariat for Civil Protection.

Greece on Wednesday recorded 27 new coronavirus cases, raising the total number to 3,910. Out of the new cases, four were “imported” from abroad. Greece’s coronavirus death toll is at 193, still among the lowest among EU member-states.