Editorial To Vima: Health dangers of the summer respite

Pictures from all over Greece during the three-day weekend of the Holy Spirit Holiday were reminiscent of past, carefree summers.

Packed bars and restaurants gave one the impression that the threat of the pandemic never existed.

Health Ministry recommendations to maintain social distancing were forgotten at the sight of the sea.

The sudden hike in coronavirus cases was a rough landing and reminded us that the danger is still very much present and that a loosening of the enforcement of guidelines and a complacent attitude is unpardonable.

Such a misguided mentality of laxity is based on two dubious premises.

The first is that the virus cannot survive in high summer temperatures. However, recent research indicates that there are grounded doubts that will subside during summer. The virus has spread rapidly in high-temperature regions around the globe.

The second is the “paradox of prevention”.

As Elias Mosialos noted because the problem was confronted immediately we had very good results in the first stage of managing the pandemic.

After a gradual lifting of the lockdown, some of our fellow citizens thought that there was never a problem and others that we are finished with the virus.

Alas, the virus is here and the government is properly signaling that checks will be intensified and additional measures will be adopted o a local level.

To be realistic, however, there are inadequate means for such an expansion of checks as the Holy Spirit Holiday demonstrated.

Democracy cannot be based on perpetual policing. It is based on individual responsibility.

At the beginning of the fight against the “invisible enemy” a sense of social responsibility proved to be the greatest weapon.

Is there any reason to change the prescription now?