A spectre is again haunting Europe, the spectre of a COVID-19 lockdown.

Despite the stubborn denials of the government – including the PM – it is difficult to rule out yet another winter with harsh public health restrictions, as the Delta variant of the virus is raging and the rate of vaccination has not reached the desired level.

The stated intention of the government is to keep society open and not to disrupt economic life. However, intentions alone do not suffice.

If we truly want to limit the chances of Greece following the course of other European countries in order to save the Christmas season, we must all keep something in mind.

We all have to join forces in order to avert a new lockdown. One must religiously abide by the public health restrictions that came into effect yesterday in order to avoid harsher measures.

This is an obligation both for the state and professionals, who must enforce the measures in their shops, but also for the Church, which must protect the lives of its faithful.

Nobody has the right to deny their share of responsibility in the common effort, because if even one group says it lacks the competence or is unable to do so, the sacrifices of the rest of society are imperiled, as is public health.

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