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I lived in #Greece for four years and my youngest son (Άρης) was born there & I feel a deep connection - the φιλοξενία is real! (even if my Greek isn't as good as it should be...), so I have been watching the crisis unfold there closely 
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#Covid19greece #κορωνοϊός
(1/15)#Covid19greece #κορωνοϊός
I was worried that a massively stressed health system and a country where the administration can be chaotic & lack authority (after years of brutal austerity) would be a recipe for disaster; however, (while it is still early days in this) I have been impressed by their reaction.
As soon as the first cases were confirmed (27 February) all carnival events in the country were cancelled (a big deal!). They started contact tracing and closing impacted schools and on 10 March, the gov decided to suspend the operation of all educational institutions
On 13 March they closed all cafes, bars, museums, shopping centres, sports facilities and restaurants in the country. On 16 March all shops were closed, some villages were quarantined and #lockdown began.
After the first Covid death, non-essential shops were shut 4 days later.
After the first Covid death, non-essential shops were shut 4 days later.
It looks like the early Greek reaction has stood them well. A relatively small number of cases and lower number of deaths when compared to more 'organised' EU countries.
The effort to #FlattenTheCurve has been so successful that Greece has even started to look to the future and the easing of restrictions https://www.ekathimerini.com/251614/article/ekathimerini/news/restrictions-to-be-eased-in-phases-from-mid-may-to-july
Greece has about double the population of #Ireland and #Athens dominates in terms of population and employment just like Dublin, but the numbers there are significantly better than Ireland so far.
#covidireland
#covidireland
There are still some dark spots and the situation in migrant camps is unsettling to say the least - thou this jingoistic, ignorant tripe from the @Daily_Express reflects more on the poverty of the UK gutter press than the difficult situation http://shr.gs/cSSY9jQ
The real tragedy of #COVID19greece is that it looks like the Greek economy will come out most damaged. Notwithstanding your pov & despite recent green shoots, the result of EU led austerity policies for the last decade has been the destruction of the productive economy
Much of the Greek economy now relies on tourism and if they have a dead season, many will go to the wall. The government does not have the resources to intervene on the scale required. A recent @OECD report suggested they could lose more than 30% of GDP
That is shocking. The situation was already so tough for so many in #Ελλαδα. From an already difficult place, I really fear for what this will do to Greece and the wonderful Greek people. Social welfare is so limited and the hit to revenue will be vicious.
Like Ireland, Greece traditionally relied on emigration as an economic pressure valve. Witness all the Greek doctors in the #NHS and programmers here in Dublin. But that's not going to be so easy this time with potentially continuing travel restrictions.
The job loses will also hit some of the more vulnerable that absolutely rely on seasonal income to keep the show on the road - disproportionately women I fear. We met so many wonderful people working seasonally in tourist sites (imho best place to visit in the world)
I was there through the economic and migrant crises & Greece had done the hard yards of recovery only to be kicked again. The EU has a responsibility to repair the mistakes of the recent past. We must mutalise risk to allow Greece to survive and adapt to a changed world.
Anyhow, Αγαπάω την Ελλάδα! I hope this passes quickly and the Greeks are rewarded for their quick #COVID19 action, but I fear they will be devastated by the aftermath.
#Παναθηναϊκός
#Παναθηναϊκός
