Warning signals as Covid-19 spreads in Corfu
COVID-19
16 Jul 2021
/ 09:52
CORFU. The quarantine hotel is almost full. Tourists are being accommodated in 70 of the 84 rooms - either as positive cases or as close contacts.
Epidemiologist Yannis Alamanos voiced his concern about the extensive and uncontrolled spread of Covid-19 in Corfu, due to the lifting of measures, calling attention to the need for mainly young people to get vaccinated. As he points out, if the virus spreads among young people, hospitalisations will increase and it could even lead to deaths.
“There is a possibility that the transmission of the virus could be greater than before," he told ERA Corfu, "because we do not have measures in place and the
measure of wearing a mask indoors is not being observed either. The spread may therefore reach the unvaccinated. In Corfu there has also been a significant increase in the number of cases in line with the current trend across the country. It is different from the last time, however, and it is mainly young and unvaccinated people who are spreading the virus.” He said that a greater spread has been recorded in places with high transmission, such as parties.
According to Mr. Alamanos, an organised information campaign is required from the responsible bodies (local government, tourism professionals etc.), in order to convince those who are hesitant to get vaccinated - only 200-300 new jabs are being adminstered daily, he said.
Covid-19 cases
However, Covid-19 cases in Corfu are on the rise with double-digit numbers and from the beginning of the week until Wednesday a total of 62 cases were confirmed.
The situation at the hospital is not causing concern so far and they are not under pressure - there is a 73-year-old vaccinated Briton in the ICU and six patients in the Special Infectious Diseases Unit.
Vaccinations
According to the Deputy Director of the Mega vaccination centre Aggelos Spyrou, the increasing number of cases has had a positive impact on the progress of the vaccination programme, with an average of 500 vaccinations being administered daily at the National Sports Centre facility. “In some cases, there are no available appointments left, as the increase in the number of cases is motivating people to get vaccinated,” he told Enimerosi.
According to official data, in Corfu, 57,541 people have received the first jab (+144 as of 14/07/2021), and 51,257 have had both jabs (+495 as of 14/07/2021). Mr. Spyrou pointed out that, of course, the majority of those who come for vaccinations are for the second dose.
Quarantine hotel filling up
In the meantime, the quarantine hotel in Corfu is almost full - from the beginning of the week until yesterday the number of tourists staying there has increased rapidly, either as positive cases or close contacts. At the moment 70 of the 84 available rooms are occupied - on Monday it was just 37! These are mainly groups of young people travelling together and if someone is found positive, the rest are quarantined as close contacts.
“We have large groups of young Italians at the moment who may have had rapid or PCR tests in order to travel, but since the times when these tests were conducted vary, they come to Greece and say that they got infected here,” the Deputy Regional Governor for Public Health Kostas Zorbas told Enimerosi.
According to Mr.Zorbas, although quarantine hotels are designated by the Ministry of Tourism and the Greek National Tourism Organisation, another hotel will not be needed in Corfu.
“There is a possibility that the transmission of the virus could be greater than before," he told ERA Corfu, "because we do not have measures in place and the
measure of wearing a mask indoors is not being observed either. The spread may therefore reach the unvaccinated. In Corfu there has also been a significant increase in the number of cases in line with the current trend across the country. It is different from the last time, however, and it is mainly young and unvaccinated people who are spreading the virus.” He said that a greater spread has been recorded in places with high transmission, such as parties.
According to Mr. Alamanos, an organised information campaign is required from the responsible bodies (local government, tourism professionals etc.), in order to convince those who are hesitant to get vaccinated - only 200-300 new jabs are being adminstered daily, he said.
Covid-19 cases
However, Covid-19 cases in Corfu are on the rise with double-digit numbers and from the beginning of the week until Wednesday a total of 62 cases were confirmed.
The situation at the hospital is not causing concern so far and they are not under pressure - there is a 73-year-old vaccinated Briton in the ICU and six patients in the Special Infectious Diseases Unit.
Vaccinations
According to the Deputy Director of the Mega vaccination centre Aggelos Spyrou, the increasing number of cases has had a positive impact on the progress of the vaccination programme, with an average of 500 vaccinations being administered daily at the National Sports Centre facility. “In some cases, there are no available appointments left, as the increase in the number of cases is motivating people to get vaccinated,” he told Enimerosi.
According to official data, in Corfu, 57,541 people have received the first jab (+144 as of 14/07/2021), and 51,257 have had both jabs (+495 as of 14/07/2021). Mr. Spyrou pointed out that, of course, the majority of those who come for vaccinations are for the second dose.
Quarantine hotel filling up
In the meantime, the quarantine hotel in Corfu is almost full - from the beginning of the week until yesterday the number of tourists staying there has increased rapidly, either as positive cases or close contacts. At the moment 70 of the 84 available rooms are occupied - on Monday it was just 37! These are mainly groups of young people travelling together and if someone is found positive, the rest are quarantined as close contacts.
“We have large groups of young Italians at the moment who may have had rapid or PCR tests in order to travel, but since the times when these tests were conducted vary, they come to Greece and say that they got infected here,” the Deputy Regional Governor for Public Health Kostas Zorbas told Enimerosi.
According to Mr.Zorbas, although quarantine hotels are designated by the Ministry of Tourism and the Greek National Tourism Organisation, another hotel will not be needed in Corfu.
