Tsiodras, Hardalias, wrap up televised briefings with continuing low stats, 2,892 total cases

Epidemiological data in Greece and the outstanding results of restrictive measures to control the Covid-19 pandemic's spread in Greece has done away with the necessity for live televised briefings by professor Sotiris Tsiodras and himself, Civil Protection Deputy Minister for Crisis Management Nikos Hardalias said on Tuesday.
Greek confirmed coronavirus cases to date total 2,892, with 173 deaths, a percentage lower than 1 pct of the total Greek population, as Tsiodras, spokesman for the Health Ministry's committee on novel coronavirus said in the joint briefing. He added that the R0 virus dispersal indicator in Greece now rests at 0.33 pct, much below the R1 baseline, leading to a decision to end the need for televised briefings.
The daily briefings, which began on March 16, had been reduced to thrice weekly.
Daily statements
As of Wednesday, Hardalias explained information on the virus will be provided through daily and other statements by the Ministry of Health, he said. "We are wrapping up this joint interview with professor Tsiodras after 72 days of nearly daily briefings," he stated, noting however that "our collaboration will continue behind the scenes as usual."
The minister expressed the hope there will be no emergencies calling for briefings to begin anew. "If you see us doing these daily briefings with Mr. Tsiodras again, that means things have become difficult again," he quipped.
Virus still here
Hardalias, who has been the one to reiterate restriction measures and criticise transgressions almost daily, reminded the public that all precautionary measures were still in effect, and that "we have not finished with the pandemic". He called on the public to keep observing the rules of hygiene and social distancing, and said that the situation is such that requires continued vigilance and alertness.
Briefing the public
Tsiodras spoke of his collaboration with another 26 health experts on the novel coronavirus, and of his efforts to explain the data to the public "equipped only with honesty and a firm belief in scientific rules," in the midst of great uncertainty about the new virus' behavior. The professor, who became Greece's reference point for medical questions and information, expressed his closeness to the public but said it was time to return to his students and patients.
Reviewing the earlier criticism levelled on him and the health committee at the start of the briefings, he said that Greece passed the first phase of infection with flying colors. "The participation of the public in this effort was decisive - as numbers show, the restrictive measures helped to reduce the spread of the virus in the country by 80 pct," he noted, adding that "without the resulting 10 pct reduction in people's overall contact with other people, the death toll could have skyrocketed to approximately 13,685."
However, he stressed the virus is still at large, and advised dilligent observance by all to health safety protocols for some time to come. He also referred to other vaccinations that were delayed globally because of the pandemic, including "a significant 50 pct reduction of influenza vaccinations in children under 2 years of age worldwide, reaching 70 pct in older people."
New, related cases
The professor also announced 10 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Tuesday and 1 new death in the last 24 hours, and explained that 8 of the 10 new cases are traced to a known source.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic in Greece, the number of cases has reached 2,892. Of the total cases, 628 concern individuals infected during travel abroad and 1,644 people who were infected in Greece.
In hospitals, 18 people are in intensive care. Their median age is 69 years and 4 of them are women. An overwhelming majority (83.3 pct) have an underlying health issue or are aged 70 or above.
Another 101 have been discharged from intensive care units since the pandemic's outbreak.
In addition, Greece registered another death due to the virus since Monday, bringing the total number of Covid-19 casualties to 173. Their median age was 76 years and 94.8 pct had an underlying health issue and/or were 70+ years old.
Overall, 160,991 tests have been carried out in the country.