Covid-19: Intubations Steadily Decrease in Greece

Greece recorded 1,339 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, which marks 531 more instances of the virus than the 808 cases recorded on Monday.

Just four of Tuesday’s total cases were identified during routine Covid-19 testing of tourists at the country’s borders.

Currently, there are 381 patients with Covid-19 on ventilators in Greece, which is 11 fewer than the 392 patients undergoing the invasive treatment in the country yesterday, Monday.

For comparison, 482 patients with the virus were intubated in Greece last Tuesday, marking a steady decrease in the umber of patients in Greece’s ICUs.

Tragically, 30 people suffering from the coronavirus passed away in the country over the past 24-hour period, which represents six more than those who died with the virus on Monday.

Greece mulling over “perks” for those who have been vaccinated

The Greek government is considering issuing official Covid-19 vaccine perks to motivate even more citizens to get immunized against the coronavirus.

“Privileges are needed for those who are vaccinated in order to serve as a clear motivation and to curb resistance in those who have second thoughts or are attracted by conspiracy theories,” said Deputy Interior Minister Stelios Petsas.

According to the data of the Ministry of Health, about one in three people over the age of 60 in Greece have not yet been vaccinated.

This is something that worries experts, combined with the further spread of mutations. The aim is to increase vaccination rates, especially for those 60 plus, so that by autumn, a significant degree of immunity has been achieved and the chances of a possible fourth wave of the pandemic are reduced.

The debate over granting benefits to those who have been fully vaccinated has been ongoing for some time. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has been meeting with experts concerning government-endorsed special privileges and perks to more of the over 60 crowd who are already vaccinated.

In Greece, the Covid vaccine perks might mean that vaccinated citizens could focus on indoor activities which will be exclusively for the vaccinated, and have greater travel inside and outside of the country. It will also mean that potentially, weekly self-testing for employees will be able to be abolished.

672 cases of Covid-19 diagnosed in Attica alone; 126 in Thessaloniki

Of the 1,339 new coronavirus cases recorded in Greece in the past 24 hours, 672 were located in Attica, home to the Greek capital city of Athens.

Instances of the virus were particularly high in the city itself, where 211 cases of Covid-19 were identified Tuesday.

Tests showed that in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, a total of 126 cases of Covid-19 had been diagnosed in the last 24 hours.

Over 400,000 total coronavirus cases in Greece

Since the beginning of the pandemic, a total of 411,534 cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the country, including all those who have recovered from the virus.

Of the cases diagnosed in Greece in the past seven days, just 40 are associated with foreign travel and 1,665 have been linked to contact with a known case.

Of the 381 patients intubated currently, 87.7% are over the age of 70 or suffer from preexisting conditions. Their average age is 67.

On Tuesday alone, 127 people with the coronavirus were admitted to hospitals in Greece.

Additionally, a total of 2,520 patients have been discharged from ICUs around the country since the beginning of the pandemic.

The 30 new deaths recorded on Tuesday bring the total number of fatalities in the country to 12,331; 95.2% of those who have passed away with the virus were over the age of 70 or suffered from underlying health issues.