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Five new Covid measures for Athens seek to improve testing, prevention

Five new Covid measures for Athens seek to improve testing, prevention

Greek authorities on Monday announced five new measures aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus in Athens by putting the onus on testing and prevention, especially with regards to vulnerable members of the population.

The first part of the new campaign is to transform eight community centers, or “friendship clubs,” in the Greek capital into small Covid-19 diagnostic centers that will carry out targeted testing, mainly on vulnerable and at-risk groups. Athens’ homeless shelter and its shelter for drug users for will also be supplied with more rapid testing kits, while two new shelters will be created to provide more beds for the city’s homeless and to ensure that physical distancing recommendations are implemented.

EODY, meanwhile, will increase the number of rapid tests being carried out in the worst affected parts of the capital, while the City of Athens’ outreach teams working with homeless people will be bolstered with nurses who will be able to provide basic care and testing.

Lastly, the national and municipal police forces are being connected via a joint operations center that will coordinate all activities in the Greek capital related to coronavirus prevention and protection measures.

The new measures were announced following a meeting between Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias, Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias, National Organization for Public Health (EODY) chief Panagiotis Arkoumaneas and Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis.

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