Greece directs private doctors to join Covid-19 battle

ATHENS: Greece's health minister is demanding the services of private sector doctors from certain specialties in the wider Athens region to help fight a fresh surge in Covid cases that is straining hospitals to their limits.


Vassilis Kikilias said on Monday that despite repeated appeals to private sector doctors to help in the public sector, very few came forward. Therefore, he said, he was ordering those from the specialties of pathology, pneumonology and general medicine to help.
The requisition order is for one month for 206 doctors.
Greece is witnessing a renewed surge of Covid-19 cases despite lockdown-related measures in force since early November. The country has recorded dozens of daily deaths, as well as rising numbers of patients hospitalized in intensive care units. About 500 people are hospitalised each day across the country, health authorities say. 200 of them being in the wider Athens region.
On Sunday, Greece reported 1,514 new Covid cases and 41 new deaths, bringing the total confirmed cases to 237,125, with 7,462 deaths.
Despite the surging numbers, authorities have announced a slight relaxation on lockdown measures. Hairdressers, nail salons and open-air archaeological sites reopened as of Monday morning. Amateur fishing, which had been banned, is also being allowed for those living in coastal areas, as access to the sea is allowed only on foot or bicycle.