Direct flights from the UK to Greece from 15th July confirmed.

[Kilkis]

I'm not sure knowing how many ICU beds there are, or could be, is very comforting. People in my age group, with various underlying conditions, who catch COVID-19 and it develops to an advanced stage the chances of coming off a ventilator alive are pretty slim.

Warwick

[shine on]

I thought that a ventilator made things worse and should be avoided? If, and a big if, a bed is available.

[Kilkis]

I thought that a ventilator made things worse and should be avoided? ...

I'm not sure that is a totally accurate description of the situation? If the disease develops to the very advanced stage and you are not put on a ventilator then you will die. If you are put on a ventilator there is a chance that you will live. The younger and fitter you are the higher the chance that you will live. For older people and those with serious underlying conditions that chance decreases quite markedly.

The problem is not the ventilator itself but the nature of the advanced form of the disease. People with paralysis, for example, can survive on forced ventilation for very extended periods but in that case the pressure set on the ventilator is just normal. The ventilator is simply replacing the mechanical bodily function of breathing in and out.

In the case of COVID-19, your lungs are so badly affected that you simply cannot absorb sufficient oxygen without ventilation. If you can't absorb enough oxygen your organs shut down from lack of oxygen supply and you die of multiple organ failure. In order to raise the blood oxygen level, however, you require a very high ventilation pressure and that runs the risk of rupturing the alveoli in the lungs, i.e. the small air sacks where oxygen passes into the blood stream. If they rupture you drown in your own blood. It is a very delicate balance to get the pressure right.

Warwick

[Kilkis]

The daily increase on Friday was 60 cases. At the peak of the pandemic Greece was experiencing about 100 new cases per day. In the late phase of lockdown they had got it down to 10 cases per day or less. A rise from under 10 cases per day to 60 % of the peak in a period of one month or less does not bode well. Around two thirds to three quarters of new cases are coming from people entering the country. There will be far more who are getting into Greece without being detected, either because they are completely asymptomatic or because they are not selected for testing. I am far from convinced that Greece has the test-trace-isolate capability to deal with this sort of increase.

Warwick

[Guy M]

Maybe Greece isn't to be deluged with British holidaymakers after all?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... 0&ito=1490

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... 0&ito=1490

Tim

Great caption for the picture of the family with face masks at the airport:

“The Brick family from Europe are heading off to Europe on holiday today but many others are shunning foreign breaks”

[Tim]

The Greek Government are now considering allowing flights from the USA from the end of this month. I hope they've all been drinking their cap-full of disinfectant every morning, as recommended by the Donald.

https://www.ekathimerini.com/254677/art ... tions-rise

Tim

[chrissyg]

I think they might well be right, Tim. Over half my bookings for this season have been cancelled and im only coming out really to prep for the remaining few. I must admit i probably wouldnt travel at the moment , not for pleasure, its not really pleasurable sitting in an airport and on a plane for 7 hours with a mask on for a start. And with all the restrictions at hotels im surprised anyone still wants to go. Easyjet and ryanair cancelled several bookings when they didnt have to, i assume there arent enough seats filled.

[bobscott]

No arrivals from the UK showing for today on CHQ arrivals board. Four Jet2 flights into Iraklio. Bob

[Kilkis]

A spike up to 58 new cases yesterday, of which 34 were among travellers, according to Keep Talking Greece. Looking at the 7 day moving average on Worldometer the daily number of cases has been steadily rising since the end of June.

To be fair to the UK the number of daily new cases is now pretty similar to France so if Greece is prepared to allow travellers from France then there is no logical reason why it shouldn't allow travellers from the UK. The only worry is that the UK has only just managed to get it down to that level while France has been bubbling along at about the same level since early May. That suggests that France has got long term control while the UK's control is unproven.

Sweden has been very variable but the 7 day moving average has fallen steadily since the end of June. Given its smaller population it is still a bit high but reviewing it near the end of July would not be unreasonable provided it is a genuine epidemiological review not a political decision.

Considering the USA is total insanity!

Warwick

[Kamisiana]

Don't forget the Greeks that will be arriving back to the fatherland by the thousand from the four contaminated corners of the earth for the month of August to see family and friends and attend the festivals that are still on, and mingle amongst the local community.

[evansmr1]

Kimisiana stated
Don't forget the Greeks that will be arriving back to the fatherland by the thousand from the four contaminated corners of the earth for the month of August to see family and friends and attend the festivals that are still on, and mingle amongst the local community.

My reading and understanding is that the Village festivals are banned. Although I am certain the ones in remote locations will still proceed.

[Kilkis]

Whether they are foreign tourists or people with Greek roots returning to visit their homeland is not the question, Kamisiana, but the infection rate where they are from.

There are many Greeks, or people with Greek roots, living in the USA, New Zealand, Australia etc. It makes perfect sense to allow ones from New Zealand to come without restriction, for example, and to impose mandatory, guarded, 14 day quarantine on anyone coming from the USA, exactly as you would for tourists.

Australia is more difficult. It had good control but has seen a distinct and steady rise since the end of June. To make matters worse a lot of the new cases are concentrated in and around Melbourne which is the city with the highest Greek population outside Greece and Cyprus. Personally I would put visitors from there in the same category as from the USA but there might be a case for employing self isolation. Greeks coming from the Melbourne area are likely to be aware that infection rates are higher there and, since it is family and friends they are visiting, they are more likely to behave responsibly.

At the moment village festivals are banned until the end of July and that might be extended into August. Street markets associated with the festivals are permitted. That does appear to be a bit muddled but possibly not as much as you might think. Street markets were one of the first things to be allowed as lockdown was eased and there doesn't seem to be any evidence that it caused a significant rise in case numbers. Everybody packing into the local church for a service followed by a mass gathering meal with lots of dancing is far higher risk.

Warwick

[Clio]

Considering the USA is total insanity!

Insanity being the operative word. This is the response of some Americans to the idea of having to wear face masks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=433b5RJ9BME

[Jean]

"Home of the free, land of the great"...may their god help them

[bobscott]

One flight from LHR (British Airways) on the arrivals/departures board for Chania, late this afternoon. Bob.