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Coronavirus In Greece - Tips & Advice
Click here to learn more about goverment enforced measures to contain the spread of the virus.
Get a daily update on the course of the coronavirus pandemic in Greece. The data is updated daily according to the official announcements of the Greek Ministry of Health.
To stay up-to-date, please visit covid19.gov.gr
When To Seek Medical Care
If you have symptoms of the coronavirus (see below) and believe that you may have come into contact with an infected individual, you are urged to stay home and to contact your doctor immediately or the EODY (Greece's National Public Health Organization) at 210 5212054 or the telephone hotline 1135 for accurate instructions and information on where to seek treatment.
Where To Get Tested For Covid-19 In Athens
There are multiple ways to get tested and the following are a couple of these to help you in your research and decision process.
If you have health coverage from the Greek state (you hold a valid AMKA number), you can call 14900 and book an appointment for a FREE COVID TEST at your local clinic. This service is only available in Greek.
There are several private clinics throughout the city that offer testing for a charge typical in the range of €40-€80. Some of these include:
Athens Medical Group - appointment is required, results typically within 48 hours, service in English.
The World Health Organization (WHO) shares some necessary protective measures against the coronavirus and advises people to take care of their health and protect others by using these methods; also, these important tips on when and how to use a mask.
Following are the recommended protective measures:
1. Wash Your Hands Well & Frequently
2. Maintain Social Distancing
Keep at least 1 meter (at least 3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Be extra careful of the elderly and indiviuals with chronic illness.
3. Avoid Touching Your Eyes, Nose, And Mouth
How To Use A Mask
Even though masks should be used as part of a comprehensive strategy of measures to suppress transmission, the use of a mask alone cannot provide an adequate level of protection against COVID-19.
Here are the basics of how to wear a mask:
1. Make sure to clean your hands before you put your mask on, as well as before and after you take it off.
2. Make sure your mask covers your nose, mouth, and chin.
Here are some specifics on what type of mask to wear, depending on where you go and who you are.
Wear a fabric mask unless you’re in a particular risk group. This is especially important when you can’t stay physically distanced, particularly in crowded and poorly ventilated indoor settings.
Wear a medical/surgical mask if you are over 60, have underlying medical conditions, are feeling unwell, and/or looking after an ill family member.
If a person becomes infected with the virus, they can develop symptoms that range from mild, such as the common cold, to very serious. As with other respiratory infections, infection of COVID-19 can cause mild symptoms, such as:
· Collapse
· Sore throat
· Fever
· Cough
Some people may have serious symptoms such as:
· Pneumonia
· Difficulty breathing
It rarely leads to death. Elderly and people with underlying diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease) are more susceptible to developing serious symptoms.
Volunteer For Free COVID-19 Testing
About 20,000 tests are performed daily by the public health system on people who have an increased chance of being exposed to the virus. The Greek government's goal is to significantly increase the number of tests by monitoring asymptomatic volunteers through the random selection of 12,000 citizens daily.
Your participation will give experts a better picture of the coronavirus in Greece and help contain its spread throughout the community. Fill in the following "COVID19 Free Test Application Form" to become a candidate for the COVID19 sample testing. The test will be carried-out with rapid antigen detection of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Your participation is valuable. For you, for your neighbor, for your own people, for all of us.
Find more information about how to participate in the sample testing procedure please visit testing.gov.gr (Information Available in Greek Only)
Big Winter Book Bazaar
Athens Negotiations Tournament
This competition has been organized by the Department of Business Administration of Athens University of Economics, with scientific director dr. Ilias Kapoutsis.
In this competition, 18 teams are taking part, consisting of three students each undergraduate and postgraduate students from Greece and Cyprus and supported by 40 volunteers.
The purpose of this competition is to get together students from Greece and around the world for the resolution of various issues and to enhance the skill of negotiation which is a prerequisite for the adaptation and prosperity in the 4th industrial revolution.
During the two-day simulations, the participants will have the opportunity to exhibit their negotiation skills and to gain valuable experience.
The winners of ANT2019 will represent our country at the Warsaw Negotiation Round 2020 International Negotiation Competition. The knowledge and the experience that the competitors will gain from this event, will be beneficial for them and our country.
The interested teams to participate in this competition, they can apply through the Greek website: www.ant.aueb.gr, from 10 to 28 of February. The final selection will be based on the studies that the applicants have concluded, the possible working of voluntary experience, any awards, the geographical origin of the team, and the accompanying video explaining the reasons why they believe that they should are selected to participate.
Olympic Flame To Pass By Major Greek Landmarks
To read this article in full, please visit: GreekCityTimes.com
Photo: Olympic.org
Education Meets Innovation As Students Showcase Their Ideas
Students shared their passions and intellectual curiosities at the 3rd Annual Innovation Summit - February 18-19, 2020
How Children Learn About Love
If there’s a topic you’re interested in and would like to learn more about you may contact me via email. For more information about me and my work check the XpatAthens Directory or visit my website. Because this is your life!
Omonia Is Back! The Revamped Square To Be Revealed At The End Of The Week
A video from the testing of the new fountain at Omonia Square.
1896 Classic Marathon Race Revival V
2020 marks its 5th edition and the race will take place on the coastal road connecting Acropolis to its most iconic peninsula at Cape Sounio.
Race Details:
- long-distance race
- total distance approx 75klm
- first 15klm (controlled pace)
- race distance 60klm (between km 15 and 75)
- fixed gear only
- helmets obligatory
- front brake allowed
Registration: 20 euros (including race pack)
Register through info@48x17.com
Race starts at 48x17 Cycles, Veikou 2, Acropolis.
Ends at Cape Sounio.
There will be an after-party at a private villa by the beach.
There will be a bus that can take racers and their bike back to Athens.
Historical Background:
At the first Modern Olympic Games the sport of cycling was introduced. There were several track cycling events held at the Phaliron Velodrome (Stadio Karaiskaki) and one road cycling event. At that time the “bicycle” was quite a novice idea people were not familiar with. Gears, brakes and deralleurs were not yet invented and all bicycles were fixed gear and brakeless.
The only road race of the Games took place on April 12. It was 87 kilometres long, with contestants cycling to the village of Marathon and back. Five Greeks registered for the race, one of them Aristides Konstantinides, and a few foreign cyclists including the German August von Gödrich and the Briton Edward Battel. Konstantinidis was one of the first bicycle enthusiasts in the country and a member of the first Greek cycling club.
He won the road race, covering the 87 kilometres from Athens to Marathon and back in a time of 3:22:31 despite his bicycle breaking down on the way back to Athens. Legend has it that he borrowed a bicycle from a spectator to finish the race.
Konstantinidis led from the start until his first fall that allowed Battel to briefly pass in front of him. Both Konstantinidis and Battel fell again before finishing, with Battel’s fall being severe enough to drop him from first place to third as both Konstantinidis and Gödrich passed him. Konstantinides entered the city battered and bleeding but trioumphant giving Greece one of its most glorified gold medals as groups of bystanders cheered him on his way to the finish line.
Carnival In Athens
IMPORTANT PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT - Carnival celebrations cancelled!!
Kostas Bakoyannis: the City of Athens celebrates Carnival Season with festive and colorful events all over the city!
The peak, however, of the carnival period comes on Kathara Deftera (Clean Monday), the 2nd of March. We meet up at Filopappou Hill to fly our kites and celebrate the “Koulouma” tradition. Headliner of this festive day is GogoTsampa! The singer who managed to revive the audience’s interest for folk music will be there and nothing will stop us from dancing! This year, Athens gets dressed in its most beautiful and fancy jewels and invites us to celebrate Carnival through a colourful mosaic of activities and events, be carried away by the music and experience our city as we’ve never had before…
"Another great opportunity to see Athens dressed in colors and festivities. We have carefully designed a number of Carnival events so that Athenians of all ages as well as our visitors feel that they belong here. It's the Carnival itself which has this familiar, sweet taste of tradition while at the same time is in an open dialogue with the fresh and the new! It's the Carnival itself that's not afraid to have fun, to dress up in the craziest colors and laugh out loud" points out the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis.
Upcoming Traffic Restrictions Due To The 6th Lycabettus Run
Restrictions will apply to the entire length of the following avenues: Paligenesias, Daskalogianni, Sarantapihou, Ksanthipou, and Evelpidos Ragakou. These limits will not affect the two major intersections between the aforementioned avenues.
Koniari Avenue will be closed between its junctions with M. Merkouri Avenue and Nikotsara Avenue. This closure includes any intersections between these two points.
The entire length of Kleomenous Avenue and its adjoining intersections will also be closed off.
Finally, traffic will be restricted on M. Merkouri Avenue, between its junctions with An. Polemou Avenue and Lahitos Avenue, as well as any other intersections between these two points.
If you don’t have any Sunday plans, though, consider making your way down to the center to support the runners!
Originally posted on Athens Voice, translated by Xpat Athens