This year has not been like any other year, and this summer is also special. The Corona virus has changed our lives somewhat amazingly and in so many different ways, so our summer travels are not going to be an exception.
Many have already cancelled their trips and will spend their holidays at “home” while others choose to still go abroad soon to enjoy their holiday in the more “traditional” way. Near a beach somewhere in beautiful Greece. But even those who have chosen to travel have many unanswered questions in mind, which makes people a little bit more nervous before packing their bags.
I would like to use this post to help those of you who have already booked your trip to Greece but also those of you who are still thinking about it. Maybe I can help you understand what the situation is like right now in Greece and give you tips on what to expect once you land on your destination.
The situation right now in Greece
Greece has been praised during the Corona crisis as one of Europe’s ‘safest’ countries that have dealt with the situation quickly and effectively, and the truth is that the number of cases in Greece is relatively low. Many worry that the re-opening of the country’s borders for tourism may change this positive trend, but at the same time Greece is well prepared and equipped (from the big cities to all the islands) to deal with all kinds of scenarios regarding the spread of the Corona virus. As long as every traveller also takes the responsibility of ensuring that they do not carry the virus and taking it on their holiday, Greece will probably remain one of the absolute safest destinations of this summer.
Once you travel to or within Greece, you may be asked to fill out a form with contact details and destination for security reasons and there may also be random tests of passengers at airports or ports. If (and only if…) the test would come back positive, you would have to quarantine for 14 days. This means that you are not even allowed to go out to buy food and that you are not allowed to meet other people during the 14 days. If you break your quarantine in Greece and get caught, then you will receive a big fine of a whopping 5000 euros!
Until June 20th, the total number of infected persons was 3256 and the number of deaths from the infection totalled 190 people. This means that there is a very small risk of being infected in Greece, if, of course (and as we should all do, whether we go on holiday or not) we follow the guidelines that exist in order for us all to prevent the spread of the infection.
Greece is living off its tourism and it has done all it can to be in the position of being able to open up the country timely and to save most of the tourist season so the economic aftershock won’t be as big as projected. Most, if not all activities, have now been opened up in Greece but the country still has strict rules regarding the functioning of bars, restaurants, gyms and even concerning organised beaches with sun loungers and umbrellas. What is important to keep in mind if you choose to travel is that these rules are checked on a daily basis and that you can get a large fine if you do not follow them.
So what do you have to think about as a tourist?
First of all, it may be good to buy a box with surgical masks (the classic blue ones) and take with you on the trip. You can also find them in Greece of course, but since the request there (because the rules there regarding the wearing of mask is tougher) is larger, it may be so that the pharmacy you visit has no one left in stock. You have to wear masks in all indoor places where you come across more people.
This means that you have to wear a mask when you are in:
- large shopping malls
- smaller stores with a lot of people in them
- hairdressers and nail salons or similar
- buses, trains, metro, flights, boats (as long as you are inside) and taxis
- Hospitals
- museum and archaeological sites with many visitors
The second thing to keep in mind is that even in Greece you have to follow the rule of staying at least 2 meters away from each other if, for example, you stand in a queue or shop in a supermarket. It also means that most places with tables and chairs or sun loungers (i.e. restaurants, bars, cafes or organized beaches) should have set up their equipment at a safe distance, but even if they don’t, make sure you’re always sitting at least 2 feet away from your “neighbour”.
The third thing to consider is to carry a little hand sanitizer in your bag when, especially at a tourist destination, you come into contact with many more people than you think. It can be good to disinfect your hands after you have been to a public toilet by the beach or shopped at a supermarket, or maybe patted a very nice stray dog or cat.
Where to turn if you feel sick
If, in all likelihood, you would feel sick or have symptoms of a corona infection while on holiday in Greece, the first thing to do is to stay in your hotel room and avoid contact with other people. After that, you should seek medical attention.
All hotels are equipped and have the possibility to help you see a doctor or call in a doctor who can test you. If that is the case, the doctor will ask a lot of questions about your stay in Greece until this incident. It is also important to contact Greece’s “National Public Health Organisation EODY” (on telephone number: 1135 from Greek telephone number or +30/210-5212054 from all telephone numbers).
Links to pages with extra information to keep you updated
http://www.visitgreece.gr/en/home/frequently_asked_questions
http://www.visitgreece.gr/en/home/about_covid_19
https://greece.greekreporter.com/category/greek-news/
https://eody.gov.gr/en/ – Greece’s National Public Health Organisation
As I said earlier, I do not think that as a tourist you can find a more “safe” destination than Greece for this summer if you now choose to travel down to the sun. As long as we all personally take our responsibility to do our best not to spread the infection, this summer can be a summer almost like usual. The important thing is that we all enjoy our days off and take care of each other!
Please email me through “contact me” if you have any more questions and I will do my best to answer!
