"We will keep schools closed for as long as experts tell us," the prime minister said yesterday.
Restrictions up to the vaccine
"I hope as we get out of it second lockdown θα είμαστε πολύ πιο προσεκτικοί. But again, these would mean that you have to spend for these processes.. For example night entertainment, the bars, the midnight fun. We can not have people crowded in bar until we have the vaccines. Maybe at some point we will be able to open restaurants with the right social distance. We are also thinking about opening up retail, but certain restrictions will apply until the vaccine ", said the Prime Minister.
With the nightlife remaining until New Year and officially in quarantine, The announcement of the extension of the lockdown is now considered a matter of hours (at least until 14 December), in order to follow in a second year the finalization of the plan to return to the festive regularity from the Maximos Palace. With these data, It is not ruled out that the extension of the restrictions will be announced even today by the government representative, Stelio Petsa ή αύριο, at the latest by the Deputy Minister of Civil Protection, Nikos Hardalias, with government staff making any decisions based on the course of the pandemic, but also the strengths of the NSS.
With criteria, in fact, the fact that the Thessaloniki συμπλήρωσε έναν μήνα καραντίνας without spectacular de-escalation of cases, any plans for a total restart in the background in Athens, as well as the severity of the virus, but also the transmission chain are found to be more robust than the initial estimates. Speaking yesterday from Thessaloniki, the Undersecretary of Health, Vassilis Kontozamanis stated that "We still have a long way to go. We may see a decrease in the number of cases, but this in no way can give us the impression that we have gotten rid of it, that we need to relax, we must be complacent. We have a long way to go ", situation that seems to be slowing down any announcements about the roadmap back to normal. In each case, "Greece will be one of the winners after the pandemic. The second wave is more challenging than the first, but with the appropriate measures we will be able to control it ", said the Prime Minister yesterday, with the government operating intensively in recent days in different geographical areas (Thessaloniki, Pieria, Patras, Drama).
Ornaments and hairdressers
Another crucial factor in government planning is the arrival of the third wave of the pandemic, either independently, either as resurgence of the second after the holidays, which is a problem for scientists, but it is not ruled out that he will head to Greece soon, as the Minister of Health stressed yesterday, Vassilis Kikilias. The pictures, in fact, from queues outside stores in the UK in anticipation of the end of the lockdown do not go unnoticed by the relevant ministries, in view of the reopening of retail. Avoiding the temptation to date, the Minister of Development, Adonis Georgiades described the opening of commercial stores as gradual, while the government is close to reopening the hairdressers, according to Mr. Skin.
Listening, however, the consumer needs of the festive season, Mr.. Georgiadis stated that "We are oriented towards the opening of seasonal items (Christmas decorations, trees and ornaments) mainly because these items can not be sold next year except during the holidays ", while he added that "Of course, from the moment we open the retail trade for these items, the same will happen for the supermarkets and the specific products will come out of the ban".
However, "Anything that opens should be done very carefully and with constant monitoring", noted in the Subject 104,6 the Professor of Infectious Diseases, Charalambos Gogos and estimated that schools might reopen after the holidays, while the focus seems to be the last to open. He noted that a possible early opening, is dangerous in terms of the third wave of the pandemic, after "As late as possible, so much the better ", he stressed.
The reason to the experts
The instructions of the experts will guide the forthcoming government decisions, the Prime Minister clarified yesterday, indirectly referring to opening of schools. Observing for e-learning that «a year ago, δεν θα πιστεύαμε πως κάθε μία σχολική τάξη, από τα νηπιαγωγεία ως τα πανεπιστήμια, θα λειτουργεί ηλεκτρονικά», Mr.. Μητσοτάκης ευχαρίστησε τους μετέχοντες στο εγχείρημα, γνωστοποιώντας παράλληλα ότι «θα κρατήσουμε τα σχολεία κλειστά για όσο μας λένε οι ειδικοί, αλλά όταν γυρίσουμε στις φυσικές τάξεις, θα ξέρουμε ότι έχουμε πια την υποδομή για την ψηφιακή εκπαίδευση».
Η αποστροφή του Πρωθυπουργού έρχεται σε μια στιγμή που η μεγαλύτερη μερίδα των λοιμωξιολόγων φαίνεται να συναινεί στην μετάθεση της επαναλειτουργίας των σχολικών μονάδων με το νέο έτος, παρά το γεγονός ότι οι μικροί μαθητές δεν συνιστούν τους κατεξοχήν φορείς μετάδοσης του ιού, αλλά προβληματική αποδεικνύεται η κινητικότητα πέριξ του σχολικού προγράμματος. «Τα σχολεία ενδεχομένως να ανοίξουν μέσα στις γιορτές» εκτίμησε χθες στον Θέμα 104,6 Mr.. Gogos, ενώ «πρέπει να περιμένουμε ακόμη. Μετά θα αξιολογήσουμε όλα τα διαθέσιμα δεδομένα, όπως ο αριθμός των κρουσμάτων, των νοσηλευομένων, των διασωληνωμένων και των νεκρών και στην συνέχεια θα κάνουμε την εισήγησή μας στην κυβέρνηση», δήλωσε στο protothema.gr η Πρόεδρος της Ένωσης Νοσοκομειακών Ιατρών Αθήνας – Πειραιά, Matina Pagoni.