Health authorities to carry our antibody tests on islands
Greek health authorities will carry out antibody tests on 16 islands next week, the head of the National Public Health Organization (EODY) Panagiotis Arkoumaneas, told radio station Praktoreio FM on Tuesday.
Greek islands are key to the smooth restart of the tourism season, said President of the National Public Health Organization (EODY) Panagiotis Arkoumaneas, speaking on Athens-Macedonian News Agency's (ANA-MPA) radio station Praktoreio 104.9 FM on Tuesday.
With the tourism season officially launching on June 15, when hotels reopen and incoming flights are allowed, the move is part of an EODY initiative to conduct coronavirus tests and ascertain the health infrastructure needs of islands ahead of the reopening to tourists next month.
Arkoumaneas said mobile health laboratories have collected sample checks at the islands of Milos, Sifnos, Folegandros and Kimolos.
The entire Cyclades island complex, which includes popular holiday destinations such as Mykonos and Santorini, accounts for only four of the country’s total reported coronavirus cases.
The head of EODY also said the organization is on standby for the World Health Organization's list of all the countries' epidemiological performance, which is likely to affect how health authorities in Greece carry out sample checks and more case-specific tests after mid-June.
In a separate announcement, the Health Ministry announced on Tuesday it had secured an antibody test that will be first performed first on all healthcare professionals and employees in the National Health System across the country by the end of June.
Some hospitals and health centers in the Attica region began using these tests on Monday.
