At 12:00 Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will hold a meeting with the leadership of the Ministry of Health on the issue of the outbreak coronavirus in China, as well as the recommendations of the European Union for travelers from an Asian country.

In addition, the Prime Minister will be briefed on the critical problem of drug shortages and the impact of the global problem it has caused. Recall that yesterday the corresponding press conference was held by Minister of Health Thanos Plyuris, EOF President Dimitris Philippou and IFET President Yiannis Sotiriou.

European Union recommendation for travelers from China

Recall that yesterday a meeting of the European Union’s crisis response mechanism to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in China and other countries was held. decision made to recommend 48-hour negative test to Chinese travelers.

The following is also recommended:

• All passengers on flights to and from China must wear masks.
• The authorities will conduct random checks on passengers on flights arriving from China.
• Authorities exercise control over airport wastewater.

However, EODY assured in a statement earlier in the week that there is no scientific documentation of the looming threat from travelers, adding that there is little mobility from China to our country and no direct air links.

Measures for drugs

Regarding the issue of drug shortages, after the announcement of the 10 meters by the Ministry of Health, a briefing was held yesterday by Thanos Pleuris, as well as the heads of EOF and IFET.

The Minister of Health reassured, emphasizing that the sufficiency of medicines is ensured and that in the next ten days there will be a gradual normalization of the market for antipyretics, drugs, antibiotics, syrups, respiratory and occlusive drugs.

Starting next week, an improvement in the supply of the market with pharmaceutical companies, whose warehouses were closed for the Christmas holidays, is expected.

It is also expected that demand for these drugs from other EU countries, where the outbreak of the virus started earlier and has already started to decline, will gradually decrease, making it easier to supply them. Greek market.

During an emergency briefing, Messrs Pluris, Philippou and Sotiriou clarified the set of measures taken at last Monday’s meeting to address the general shortage of medicines. As they mentioned:

• In addition to continuing to check pharmaceutical warehouses for possible stocks of medicines whose parallel export is prohibited, nine large multinational companies are also being checked to make sure they supply the market uninterruptedly.
• In addition, there will be constant information from the EOF of citizens about branded medicines in short supply and about which medicines with the appropriate active ingredient can restore them – a corresponding list will be posted – and doctors will also be informed. in the same direction, so that they can prescribe and recommend preparations with the corresponding active substance, which are sufficiently available on the Greek market.
• Prescription drugs that are in short supply will only be prescribed online to better control the market.