Coping with COVID: Why Greece’s Pandemic Strategy Has Set the Country Apart From the Rest
Tags: International Relations, Greece, Safety, Covid 19, Travel

As a country with a high elderly population and fragile economy, Greece has surprisingly escaped the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic thus far. Unlike other countries, Greece announced its plan to reopen borders for tourists as of June 15th. In addition, the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis has also confirmed that most flights to the country will resumed on June 1st. It goes without saying that this country is clearly doing something right. You may be wondering what strategic decisions were made in order to flatten the curve and get the country to the point it is at today. Well look no further, here is why the beautiful country is doing better than many other parts of the world.

Immediate Response

Experts and analysts are saying that the key to Greece’s success stems from the actions the government took early on. Prior to the occurrence of a single death, steps were already being taken. Towards the end of February, carnivals and large gathers were completely cancelled. With only 89 confirmed cases in the country, Greece was not prepared to take any chances. As a result, all educational institutions were closed on March 10th. A short three days later, tourist attractions, social hubs and restaurants were shut down as well. Moreover, government officials and health professionals worked together in order to limit the incentives people had to leave their homes right from the start. Together, they came to the conclusion that prescriptions could be given virtually. By allowing people to receive prescriptions to their phones, 250,000 visits to the doctor were avoided in the span of only 20 days. Being proactive and putting policies in place immediately assisted in the early decline of the curve for the Greek population.

Nation-Wide Compliance

As mentioned above, the country of Greece does not have great economic stability. Recovering from this crisis has been a long and hard journey requiring many years of effort. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has lessened the likelihood of reducing poverty and instability. For the most part, the Greek population as a whole truly understands the lack of resources available and the severity of this pandemic. Simply put, Greece came to terms with the fact that the country would crumble if this virus were to get out of hand. Right from the start, being selfish was not an option. Instead, people were prepared to listen and abide by the rules that were put in place.

International Travel Protocol

The response to international arrivals is an additional factor that allowed Greece to recover as quickly as it did. The Prime Minister announced a 14-day self-quarantine for all international arrivals. The level of severity placed on entering the country was nothing short of extreme. This was demonstrated by the restrictions that were quickly enforced. Greek citizens had to have a very specific reason to return in order to be considered eligible for repatriation. Actions have been taken in order to prepare for situations when this protocol was not followed. Therefore, random checks were being conducted to determine if arrivals were complying with the rules in place. In situations when self-quarantine was not taken seriously, people were fined €5000.

Effective Communication

Professor Tsisdras of Medicine and Infectious Diseases as well as the Deputy Minister for Civil Protection and Crisis Management participate in a daily press conference. By doing so, the most pressing information in regard to lockdown measures or contagions is shared with the public. The New York Times has illustrated Professor Tsisdras as a rising hero of the coronavirus. His communication efforts and professional expertise ignited discussion around the world regarding his approach. The American NewsPaper made a statement that his ability to be straight-forward and honest has brought the country together successfully during these difficult times. Not only has Professor Tsisdras been frank, but the consistency has played a factor in keeping all citizens on the same page.