The next 10 days will be decisive and show whether the measures taken in Greece are able to stop the spread of coronavirus, said pathologist-infectious diseases professor and director of the Pathology-Infectious Disease Clinic at the Athens Medical Center, Panagiotis Gargalianos.

Gargalianos participated in the first digital conference on "Pandemics and Global Health Crisis Management: The Case of Coronavirus."

The conference was organised by the Institute of International Relations and the Hellenic Association of Young Entrepreneurs and those interested can attend on Friday, March 27, at 16:00, at www.livemedia.gr/corona20.

The aim of the two-hour online discussion among health professionals, economists and entrepreneurs is to assess the current situation and evaluate possible scenarios of how the situation will unfold in the future, as well as to present and propose specific proposals to tackle the spread of the global epidemic in the areas of health, economy, tourism, entrepreneurship and labour, with a clear definition of the evolving and changing geopolitical landscape.

"Day by day the situation is changing. So far, the data we have shows that the measures are starting to have an effect, but the proof will come next week," Gargalianos said.

At the same time, he pointed out that because there is currently no proven cure for Covid-19 infection, precautionary measures and social distancing are of the utmost importance, as is individual responsibility by each citizen, to make the epidemic less severe. He stressed that public and private-sector health systems are called upon to play an important role in tackling the pandemic without the social fabric breaking down and the health system collapsing. He also underlined that the time has come to use the new "weapons" provided by technology to help manage the crisis and to emerge unscathed.