Covid-19: Greece to Increase Quarantine Hotels, Ship Isolation Cabins
Greek authorities have decided to increase the number of Covid-19 quarantine hotels as well as ship isolation cabins in order to address a rise in cases over the last week.
There are now 47 Covid hotels operating countrywide up from 30 hosting people hit by the fast-spreading Delta variant.
Greek authorities are also considering using ferry cabins not only to host Covid-infected travelers but also to transport affected individuals from the overloaded health centers on the islands to Athens, Kathimerini reports.
Official decisions are expected this week, after an emergency meeting took place with State Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis on Monday.
Government Spokesperson Aristotelia Peloni told a press conference this week that the government would be re-examining its quarantine hotel protocols, and urged the participation and cooperation of local hoteliers and accommodation facility owners.
The move comes after Mykonos was all but shut down due to a spike in coronavirus cases earlier this week. The government warned that similar orders may apply to other hard-hit islands and areas including Paros, Santorini, Ios, and Crete’s Rethymnon and Chania.
Speaking on SKAI radio on Tuesday, Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis said the issue of quarantine hotels had been resolved and that ferries would be transporting Covid-infected individuals from the islands to Piraeus or to other quarantine hotels.
Hoteliers: Visitors with Covid staying at short-term rentals should quarantine there
At the same time, Greek hoteliers are calling on the government to take action and to rule that people infected with Covid already staying at short-term rentals should self-isolate in the spaces they booked and not be accommodated at quarantine hotels meant for hotel customers.
Hellenic Hoteliers Federation (POX) President Grigoris Tasios said quarantine hotels had reached their limit because besides accommodating infected tourists staying at hotels, they are also handling travelers staying in short-term Airbnb-style rentals.
“The number of quarantine rooms was calculated based on the total number of beds of legally licensed tourist accommodation facilities,” said Tasios, “however, the largest percentage of quarantine rooms is actually being used by tourists staying in apartments, villas, etc. which operate without a license, rented in the form of a short-term lease,” Tasios said.
“Quarantine hotels are not hospitals, nor do their owners have any intention of turning them into hospitals,” he said “These should serve tourists who are found to be Covid-19 positive, who do not need hospitalization and cannot be isolated in the tourist accommodation where they were staying.”
The federation’s president proposed that tourists staying in unlicensed short-term rentals inform the National Public Health Organization (EODY) and the general secretariat for civil protection which should find alternative quarantine space.
In Mykonos and tested positive although we are vaccinated. No one is able to help us. Embassy gave us number and the man did not speak English and hung up on us. Where do we quarantine? Our hotel can not accommodate us due to new guests arriving.
I ve been through this yesterday, where did you get tested? Did you pay for it? Rapid? Self test? Dont hesitate to do second rapid test if you dont have symptoms.
If you gave your number to the lab you got tested, someone from greek civil protection shall call you today or tomorrow and arrange your quarantine.
Try to get in contact EODY (public health care organization) in the island,
I wish you a lot of patience because it is going to be a long journey, but hopefully they will put you in a quarantine hostel.
Best of luck and get better soon
Is there a list for the hotels that offer quarantine rooms in Athens
Hi Laura – hope everything worked out and you are safe. Curious to know if you were able to locate any accommodations? Or what was the process like?
Please can you clarify what the ruling is when I have guests in my hotel with respect to guests not having vaccinations. If I cannot have people inside without vaccinations can guests still stay without vaccinations.