Covid-19: Mykonos and Ios are One Step Away from Strict Measures

Greek Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias.

The popular Greek islands of Mykonos and Ios, which are under increased surveillance by the country’s health authorities, are just one step away from having to follow strict local measures to curb the further spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19), according to Greek Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias.

Speaking during a Covid-19 media briefing on Thursday, Hardalias said that intensive checks will continue on both islands, which are both in ‘orange’ status on Greece’s Covid-19 risk-assessment map due to the recent spike in cases.

The news comes after Mykonos saw strict Covid-19 local measures lifted just four days ago.

Mykonos, Greece.

“We urge local authorities and visitors to pay close attention to personal protection measures and operation rules, especially in areas of high congestion,” he said.

Six more Greek islands cause concern

The deputy minister added that the latest epidemiological data for Zakynthos, Tinos, Lefkada, Santorini, Paros and Rhodes is also a cause for concern. According to Hardalias, all six islands with are seeing coronavirus cases rise, especially in the last ten days. He warned that local measures would be imposed if the situation continues.

“The situation still calls for caution. The epidemiological data clearly show that the virus is still among us, so it is essential that we all continue to adhere to health measures and protocols, which are the first line of defense against the pandemic,” he underlined.

The deputy minister also announced that more than 5 million Greek citizens have been fully vaccinated. According to Hardalias, adult citizens who have completed their vaccination against Covid-19 are at 64 percent of the Greek population.

Updates to Covid-19 risk map

Source: https://covid19.gov.gr/covid-map-en/

Moreover, during the briefing, Hardalias provided updates to Greece’s Covid-19 risk-assessment map:

The regional units of Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, Kozani, Florina, Viotia, Evia, Messinia and Tinos have moved up to orange (level 3). The municipalities of Spetses, Paxi and Chios have also turned orange.

The regional units of Kastoria, Arta and Xanthi have moved up to yellow (level 2) status, as is the case for the municipalities of Agistri, Lemnos, East and West Samos, Amorgos, Astypalea, Karpathos, Megisti, Patmos and Symi.

The municipalities of Leros, Milos and Sifnos have went down to level 2 (from level 3). The same is the case for the regional units of Ioannina and Grevena.

The municipalities of Alonissos, Kimolos, Lipsi and Skyros have went down to level 1 (green).

Greece’s color-coded risk-assessment map which can be found here in English.

Greek health authorities on Thursday announced 2,696 new coronavirus cases and 9 deaths.

Since the start of the pandemic, the total number of cases in the country has reached 487,709. The Covid-19 death toll in Greece is 12,935.