Satisfy the Sydney-born virologist who ended up being Greece’s coronavirus ‘hero’

Kathy Lekkas – who grew up in the Blue Mountains and resides in Thessaloniki, Greece with her other half and their 3 boys – watches Dr Tsiodras’ nightly updates.

” Individuals like him and regard him,” she said. “They see Dr Tsiodras as a hero. He comes out and tells us the medical side of it. He is simple and speaks like an every day person. Everybody is really favorable about the actions the government has taken.”

Ms Lekkas stated Greeks did not normally like following guidelines however made an exception when it pertained to safeguarding their health. When Greeks welcome each other or raise a glass in a toast, they state: “to your good health”.

For more than a month, families have remained at house unless they need to go shopping or exercise. Numerous get their groceries house provided. Ms Lekkas said she was amazed to see report about individuals contesting bathroom tissue in Australian grocery stores.

” We could not get face masks for a while,” she stated. “People are purchasing supplies to last them for a number of weeks.”

After maturing in Sydney, Dr Tsiodras completed his medical training in Greece and at Harvard University. He is globally identified as an infectious diseases specialist who has released numerous peer-reviewed research papers. He is also a father of 7 kids and a spiritual male who sings as a cantor in the Greek Orthodox church.

Sia Poulos, who modifies the English-language publication Kythera Summer Edition, said so far there had not been any infections reported on the island Kythera, from where countless Greek Australians hail. Ms Poulos, who was born in Tamworth and resides in Greece, said the conservative Greek government had been quick to close borders and limit travel to little towns and islands. It likewise cancelled public gatherings and carnival parades before there was even one positive case of COVID-19, she stated.

” Greece chose empathy over the economy and consumerism,” she stated. “Taking these difficult choices early has actually conserved lots of lives.”

Ms Poulos tunes into Dr Tsiodras’ broadcasts every night at 6pm for updates on the pandemic and explanations of mathematical models and clinical research on COVID-19 “He also worries the significance of psychological and spiritual health and our wellness in general,” she stated.

Award-winning Greek Australian filmmaker Kosta Nikas said “individuals who note our anti-authoritarian nature” must not be surprised at the discipline Greeks have actually demonstrated in making health a concern.

Analysis of World Health Organisation information by Emilio Ferrer, handling director of public policy consultancy Sphere and a former adviser to 2 NSW Labor health ministers and a premier, has discovered that Spain’s COVID-19 occurrence rate is 42 times greater than that of Greece. Italy has an incidence rate that is 38 times higher and France, 27 times greater.

Mr Ferrer’s analysis shows that Greece has an estimated COVID-19 occurrence rate of 65 people per 100,000 population – the lowest occurrence rate in the European Union.

” As a point of comparison, Greece has an incidence rate two times as high as Australia, whereas Spain has an incidence rate 97 times greater than Australia,” Mr Ferrer said.

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The Greek ambassador to Australia George Papakostas stated Greece had actually “performed remarkably well in containing the spread of the coronavirus thanks to the federal government’s implementation of early and stringent steps”.

” These early procedures suggested that we prevented potentially countless deaths and the burdening of the healthcare system,” Mr Papakostas stated. “Our success obviously would not have been possible without the impressive discipline and co-operation demonstrated by the Greek people.”

Ms Poulos stated there was broad assistance for the New Democracy federal government’s difficult lockdown measures. After withstanding the Greek financial crisis, she feared further financial instability and austerity steps also lay ahead.