Athens Puts New Covid-19 Management Plan into Action

Athens, Greece

The Athens municipality, in collaboration with the health and civil protection ministries, announced on Monday a new series of precautionary measures aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 after the majority of the country’s positive cases were found to be concentrated in the Greek capital.

The plan, which is aimed at raising awareness in inner-city neighborhoods, includes increasing the number of operating welfare and health units and centers for vulnerable groups, and boosting staff as well as police patrols to meet the rising needs.

The announcement was made after a working meeting between Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis, Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias, Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias and National Public Health Organization (EODY) President Panagiotis Arkoumaneas.

Athens, Lycabettus, Greece. Photo source: Visit Greece / Y. Skoulas

“Athens, like all major urban centers in Europe, is being tested more by the Covid-19 pandemic… Taking into account the epidemiological data and aiming to protect the health of 650,000 inhabitants and visitors, the Athens municipality and the health ministry have announced a new series of actions in addition to the measures already in place, in coordination with the General Secretariat of Civil Protection and EODY, as well as all the involved bodies,” a statement said.

Actions taken to address the further rise of Covid-19 incidents in the center of Athens, include:

– the city’s friendship clubs will be converted into Covid-19 testing centers serving vulnerable or high-risk groups or individuals,

– additional rapid tests will be made available to expand screening at the city’s shelters for the homeless and for addiction treatment,

– EODY squads will increase the number of rapid tests conducted in high-risk areas in the city center and in areas with higher Covid-19 concentration,

– two new quarantine facilities will open to host substance users who test positive for Covid-19.