‘Obvious’ decrease in new hospital admissions, says health expert

There is an “obvious decrease” in new hospital admissions for Covid-19 in recent days, a member of the government’s committee of experts said on Monday during a briefing on the developments with the virus.

Vana Papaevangelou, who is also a professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Athens University, said authorities have all reported an “initial stabilisation” in the number of intubations and deaths.

She said 184 new cases were confirmed in Attica and 163 in Thessaloniki, Greece’s most populous regions.

Asked about Christmas gatherings, she urged people to remain within their social bubble to avoid contagion and warned that eight minutes is enough for an asymptomatic guest to spread the virus in a house of 150 sq.m. with 20 guests, if people take off their masks and start singing.

Papaevangelou said she hoped vaccinations will start in Greece in early 2021, and urged everyone to have it, noting that this “will help us return to normality to a large extend” next year.