The “Flight of the Bat” and the Covid-19 Pandemic: Reflections on the Greek Experience/“Yarasa Uçuşu” ve Covid-19 Salgını: Yunanistan Deneyimine Yansımalar

The Covid-19 pandemic spread quickly after its first detection in China in December 2019, causing high mortality and morbidity globally. The lockdowns imposed to control its spread caused huge economic, social and psychological effects. Greece achieved relatively good results in terms of recorded cases, admissions to ICU and deaths. Exploring the reasons behind the success, it is shown that Greece reacted quickly, taking several difficult decisions to impose restrictions on many activities at the end of February 2020 and early March. Following the recommendations of an ad hoc Committee of Specialists, restrictions were extended in quick succession, culminating in an almost universal lockdown that started on 23 March 2020. The success in limiting the spread of the coronavirus led to a gradual relaxation of the lockdown that started on 4 May 2020. In achieving this result, credit must be given to the government that listened to the scientific advice, to the academics and health professionals involved and to the public who complied with the restrictions with remarkable forbearance. The pandemic exposed the chronic deficiencies in the country's National Health System (ESY) and the Public Health Services. Yet the hospitals responded with professionalism and effectiveness, supported by additional staff, and the Civil Protection Agency fulfilled many of the required tasks. Special care was taken to protect vulnerable populations. The economic fallout is considerable and difficult to deal with, while the blow on the tourist industry is severe, in spite of the country being a safe destination. While the management of the health crisis received inter-party political support, political controversy surrounds the proposals to mitigate the economic downturn. Several questions remain about the future, whose answers will depend on the choices made by both the citizens and their leaders.