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Post by daveh on Mar 16, 2020 8:47:24 GMT 2
It is time we start a thread; not to discuss the World Wide Issue but to give information of the situation here in Greece.
Greece has had 3 deaths and there are 331 cases. On Corfu there are NO reported cases nor any deaths.
The Greek Government has made decisions that affect the whole of Greece and they do not differenciate between mainland and unaffected (to date) Islands. These decisions are;
1. Lockdown.....initially it was Schools, Unis, gyms and after school clubs. Now it is everywhere except the following; super markets, bakers, chemists, banks and some offices, e.g tax etc. Take away places are allowed to open (I see Pirates put on FB they are open for takeaways......not sure what as I didn't think they did food in the winter).
2. They have from today closed ALL Tourist accommodation until the 30th April. Any that are already open (i.e. all year round hotels) must close by 23rd March).
3. No flights to/from Italy, Spain, Albania and North Macedonia. Boarders closed to Albania and North Macedonis except for transport of goods and for returning Greek citizens. No cruise ships or sailing boats to be allowed to dock.
4. No ferries to/from Albania and Italy. The reason Albania and North Macedonia are included apart from having shared boarders is that they closed their sides of the boarder to Greece on Sunday.
On tv we now have little logs on the corner of the screen saying "stay in your house" and bigger ones flash up for 10 seconds on screen during programmes. Adverts are full of medical advice; advertising masks, cleaning gels etc etc.
Whilst some actions are sensible and have come about from today the total lockdown of the Island is a bit over the top in my opinion. As there are NO cases the only way the virus can get here is if brought onto the Island. So yes stopping the flights, cruise liners and ferries is the way to go. Those flights that do take place, i.e. from Athens and Thessolonika only at the moment as the seasonal flights have yet to begin, all passengers should be screened before they are allowed to depart. Maybe they should be screened on arrival too. To ban all shops and tavernas and thereby affect livlihoods when there are no cases and so nobody can catch the virus if the properly control entry to the Island is in my opinion a step too far while we are free of the virus. If I go to Neon, the recycling who can I catch it from? Nobody. we cannot even play village football and have a crowd of 20 people!!
In Athens there was a silent protest at the weekend to the lockdown rules and many went to the beach for the day. The Prime Minister immediately said all public gatherings are not allowed and that he will have the beaches shut. We will see.
The penalties for breaking any Covid-19 rules are harsh. 5,000€ fine but it is also possible to be sent to prison for up to 3 years!!
The affect on Corfu will be drastic; Easter is cancelled as for Tourists this year (no doubt the Parades will be cancelled for the residents as well) and this along with no cruise liners or Tourists will cost the economy millions. SOme businesses may well go under. Those who work in Tourism and have had just a small benefit while unemployed over winter will now have no income for the foreseeable future. Locally we can get what we need; however Roda supermarkets do not sell fresh meat so we have to go to Acharavi for that (as its Lent, meat sales are at their lowest this time of year).
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Post by daveh on Mar 17, 2020 11:24:10 GMT 2
From tomorrow the following come into law
1. Restrictions on how many allowed in places...….max 5 in supermarket at a time; 2 in a bank.
2. No groups of people to be out walking or together walking or on beach...….if more than 1 they must be at least 10 metres apart.
3. Anybody arriving in Greece MUST self isolate for at least 14 days.
4. On Corfu buses are greatly reduced.....from Roda there will be just one in morning to Town and one back from Town at 5pm. Not sure departure time as some locals were told 11am but its not arrived today. Personally it would be better if bus was the 7am one and come home at 2pm.
In fact they are saying just stay indoors and only go out if necessary. When no cases here......the self isolation rule should protect us all. The weather is great for walking so I'm off up the hills. Many locals are starting to get nervous due to all these rules......you see them out wearing masks and rubber gloves now, even around Roda.
The penalty for breaking any rule is 5,000€ or prison!!!!
There re no cases on Corfu......in Greece 3 deaths and 331 cases as at yesterday. During that time more Greeks have died either due to flu, cancer, road accidents or even suicide and they say they are not panic decision but necessary!
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Post by daveh on Mar 18, 2020 11:43:16 GMT 2
Today I walked to Achravi to buy meat as the butchers in Roda closed. You can get some frozen at supermarkets but for fresh you have to go to big supermarkets at Acharavi. I was early so no queue at supermarket but they have door shut and you wait to be let in. The shelves are all well stocked....no signs of panic buying here (maybe I should start a business sending loo rolls to UK!!!).
The main news today is that the EU has closed its Boarders to non-EU citizens. No reference as to whether this includes the UK while we are in transition.
IN Greece it is now 5 deaths and 387 cases. They had a map on the news......only 13 cases are on Islands and Crete has 6, Kephalonia 5. Two other Islands have 1 each. The vast majority of cases are in Athens and Patras; then next with 14 ar e2 villages in northern Greece near Albania (they are now in total lockdown). Everywhere else it is just 1 or 2 cases; not even many in Thessolonika and from there towards the Turkish boarder there is only 1 case. Still NO cases on Corfu, Paxos or the small Islands around here.
It does seem if most people are just self isolating if not at work...…...since two days after the schools shut I have hardly seen a child....in fact it was yesterday when the family near me all went out for a walk late afternoon. You don't even hear children out playing! Sfakera is like a ghost village.....people appear to go to/from work or when a passing shop van comes (baker, grocer, household supplies, fish man etc). The only sound is Yainnis working outside his house opposite the Neon and the work going on at the big mansion house behind the Neon (this has been sold and is being renovated into apartments we understand).
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Post by daveh on Mar 19, 2020 8:32:03 GMT 2
Greece bans gatherings of 10+ people out-/inside, fines violators, more restrictions March 18, 2020 Coronavirus Leave a comment
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Greece bans gatherings of more than 10 people and will impose administrative fines to each person above the cap, head of Civil protection Nikos Hardalias announced on Wednesday afternoon. Government spokesman Stelios Petsas clarified that the ban refers to gatherings not only outside but also inside. “there cannot be that there is such a ban and 10-15 people gather in a home,” he said stressing that “it is the crowding that has to be avoided to contain the virus spread.” At the same time, the head of Civil Protection announced also recommended “restrictions” for people needing to go outside. “Public gatherings with 10 or more people are strongly discouraged,” those violating the ban will be fined with 1,000 euros per person.
Urging people to stay home and to avoid contact with people outside their immediate family, Hardalias announced a new series of movement restrictions Out-of-home traffic should be limited to the minimum only for very specific reasons and to the extent necessary to serve vital needs only. Acceptable exceptions are exclusively for: Transition to work Visit to the doctor Visit a grocery store when no online service Go to the post office for absolutely necessary mail Go to the bank and the petrol station Move to help people in need Outdoor exercise individually or with another person while keeping a distance of 1.5 meters. Dog walking Businesses must operate remotely. Where by the nature of the business this is not possible, businesses will operate with the necessary staff and on rotation. A special recommendation to “call centers” is the 2-meter safety distance between employees. Tempted by the fair and sunny weather, Greeks continue to ignore the recommendations to #StayHome.
They add......if people don't start staying indoors they will consider a total lockdown!!!!! Crazy...….I am not aware of any online shopping here on Corfu....I know some shops do deliver orders to the elderly they know. THey also have experts on TV saying that if you are well then you must keep exercising; jogging, fit walking yoga etc to maintain fitness to help your body fight virus. How can you do this if they shut you indoors. Yesterday 2 police cars and 6 motor bikes were going along water front at Thessolonika giving loud speaker announcement to go home if not on way to work! - it worked as they showed before and after films of the waterfront.
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Post by daveh on Mar 21, 2020 9:30:42 GMT 2
Greece is now at 494 cases and sadly 8 deaths.
They have now restricted the ferries to the Islands; only people who can use them are Islanders or for delivery of food, supplies. This is to stop Greeks o mainland, taking advantage of good weather and not working to have a break on Islands where they originate from. Some small Islands have no cases but also no medical facilities so they need to be protected from arrivals.
The restrictions re more than 10 people at a gathering means that the Churches are now closed; there will also be no weddings, baptisms. I haven't heard what arrangements there are for funerals! Difficult times.
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Post by daveh on Mar 22, 2020 9:09:36 GMT 2
The Government are concerned re the number of people out and about and further more stringent lockdown is being considered especially in the bigger towns. Yesterday the police were out in force in Thessolonika due to the numbers on the waterfront area despite pleas to stay at home.
From Monday supermarkets are allowed just 1 shopper per 15 sq metres so its more likely queues will form. Street markets were closed Saturday and can open next week but stalls must be 50% smaller than usual and be at least 5 metres away from each other (this will have an impact in Corfu Town).
All sailing vessels (private) are banned from docking either onshore or anchoring offshore and coming in on a dingy. Fishermen are allowed to work though.
A Bishop opened his Church for mass on Friday night, his bells ringing and he had more than 10 attend; he did same again Saturday morning. He had spoken out against closure of Churches. He was invited to the police station and given a warning and released. Others are now complaining saying a hairdresser, or kafenion owner in a small village would be sent to prison if they opened and get a fine yet a Bishop is initially released. There are big concerns re Churches as there a days with usually very big services coming up, starting on 25th; which is also Greek Independence Day.....already all parades have been banned on that day.
There has been 1 more reported death in Greece and apparently there are some 90 people hospitalised with 20 of them in critical condition. One of the "medical experts" in Greece was on tv yesterday being questioned in English. He said he believed the virus would be with us well into 2021 and there is unlikely to be a vaccination ready until middle 2021. He felt that by then nearly everybody will have been affected by the virus though the vast majority will just have it very light......my question would have been was it really the virus or would it not be other colds, flu and sniffles as just because Covid-19 is about doesn't mean all other illnesses vanish! The questioner never asked!
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Post by daveh on Mar 23, 2020 8:14:34 GMT 2
From 6am today Greece is in total lockdown...……..need to carry a form or have a SMS confirmation is is ok to be out. You download form (need one everytime out as it time and date on it) or send an SMS. I have no printer and no credit on phone. You are allowed handwritten but also need passport with you......fine otherwise of 150€.
All bit ott for my liking......we are on an Island where you can only come to if you are a resident and there are NO cases on the Island. This just seems a licence to print money for the Govt from people on the Islands who are relatively safe compared to big Towns.
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Post by daveh on Mar 25, 2020 6:36:37 GMT 2
All events for today....Greek Independence Day and the Church celebrating Assumption of Virgin Mary are cancelled; it is still a public holiday with the shops closed.
New opening times for shops allowed to be open. Monday to Friday 7am to 9pm (over here they seem to open at 8am). Saturday 7am to 8pm. Sunday - closed - last Sunday allowed to be open til 10pm as the rules came in from Monday but the footfall was very low so they will be closed.
Greece now has had 20 deaths and there are 743 cases; the Islands are still almost all free; worst cases are on Kythira (ex Ionian Island off coast of Pelopenese. Corfu still NO cases. It seems there were flights bringing Greeks home from Spain and 21 on one tested positive!!! You can see why flights are being cancelled and this will just cause spread especially if they had been allowed home to family for 14 day lockdown....all family would become ill!!
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Post by daveh on Mar 28, 2020 6:32:55 GMT 2
All quiet here in Corfu......…….in Greece now 966 cases and 27 have died. Overall the increase in cases has steadied and is small when compared to graphs especially with other smaller countries like Holland and Belgium. They are saying the next 10 days are crucial to see if the social distancing is working. I am seeing less traffic passing my house; my neighbour working in her garden, other neighbour less so and just a few others working nearby. Today I must go to the shop.
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Post by daveh on Mar 31, 2020 17:39:53 GMT 2
One case now in Corfu....a greek resident return home from Belgium and has the virus....hipe he was in lockdown on return so his contacts minimal...wait and see.
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Post by daveh on Apr 3, 2020 6:23:11 GMT 2
There is now a 2nd case in Corfu; aged 74. Not sure if connected to the first or not.
In Greece yesterdays figures were 1415 cases and 50 dead. Sadly it is now 53 and the number of cases will show a big increase. There is an Amek Ferry that docked in Pireaus yesterday afternoon that has at least 120 cases on board......I am not aware of where the ferry came from and those on board were being tested. A special medical centre was constructed in an unused warehouse ready for those affected to be transferred too. Before this ferry incident the number of cases was in percentage terms slowing.
The other side of this crisis in of course the recession that has hit the world; unemployment is up, markets are crashing and it will bring times like those not seen since WW2 or the great recession in the 30s. Tough times are going to be ahead for all and this is something the economists wouldn't have been ready for but have to find solutions. All we can do is stay at home; keep safe and hope to ride it out.
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Post by trevor on Apr 3, 2020 11:27:54 GMT 2
I assume the tourist industry in Roda is at a complete standstill with no hotels, apartments, restaurants or bars preparing for the season. Is there any indication that tourism will start say in July/August or will businesses just write off this season as it will not be economical to open for say 12 or so weeks. An almost impossible question, but just wondered if you knew of any local opinion.
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Post by daveh on Apr 6, 2020 6:08:58 GMT 2
Hi Trevor, everywhere is closed until 30th April and there have been no further comments about re opening. There are of course no planes or ferries (well ferries run to bring in supplies only, not passengers). They have indicated schools will be shut til September and now have online classes and Tv lessons as well daily. Personally I believe the season will be written off completely not because of the situation here but to contain our better than elsewhere position. To let people in now would bring in the virus and things are rather bad in the main Countires that serve tourists to Corfu in particular.
As an update we have 1735 cases and 73 deaths. I understand one Corfiot has died as a result but mayb e not based on Island. Of the 2 cases I have heard off, one was later diagnosed as having pneumonia not Covid-19
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Post by daveh on Apr 6, 2020 6:25:16 GMT 2
Fines for people out of home without necessary papers re in excess of 4 million euro!!! Good business for the Govt in a free democratic society!!!! Don't get me wrong I agree with the lockdown but in some areas from what I see on TV its like "What the hell are you doing out of your house" attitude. Almost house arrest. Two refugee camps on separate Islands have cases of the virus and are under a severe lockdown with nighttime curfews in place.
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Post by daveh on Apr 8, 2020 6:31:30 GMT 2
After 14 days of serious lockdown the total cases is now 1832 and deaths 81. We had just 20 new cases in 24 hours to Monday but 77 following 24 hours. Lot of talk now about Easter. I think with Islands where no visitors allowed on they should allow Churches to open for one day; be a big moral booster to the population who have observed the lockdown. If we don't have, we cannot get and with nobody allowed on Island it will be safe. Problem is on mainland though still not a great risk.....the worst areas are all locked down fully.....2 refugee camps and a few villages in the North as part of a total 2 week (minimum) full isolation....almost quarantine.
Weather good here now, 21c yesterday and due same for reat of week.....this bring people out....bigger footfall past my house yesterday in tracksuits or on bikes so "exercising". People without gardens will want to get out and enjoy the weather. We have passed 14 days of our tighter lockdown here so all should be safe now and Island still closed to all but a returning resident who pays his tax on the Island.
Apparently cruise liners can now dock in Greece but not disembark any passengers. I didn't know they hadn't cancelled all cruises.....I wouldn't want to be on a large cruiser with no escape at the present time. Look at problems on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier which has outbreak onboard!!
Greece is doing very well and has amoungst lowest figures so its early tough lockdowns are proving to work. Now is not the time to relax too much as the figures in a lot of Europe (especially Italy and west of there) are still very disturbing. All in the UK; stay indoors as much as you can and stay safe.....to get your fix of Greece 2020 there is a new webite…...Greecefromhome.com.....you can watch Greece; visit Greece with videos etc and Learn as well.....history, language etc. If at home pay this site a visit and get your fix of Greece.
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