Inevitable and Necessary - November CoVid Lockdown

None of us can be surprised at the inevitability of having to lockdown again due the CoVid Crisis, as it tightens its grip on the world for a second round. As much as we would like to think otherwise, here on Hydra we are not immune to the virus. There were a few confirmed cases on the island and there are unconfirmed cases of a couple of families in total isolation already due to contact with visitors who were tested positive.

Grumblings about the restrictions imposed by the Greek Government that came into force today, are much louder than in the Spring. Not being able to go for a long Autumn walk, a hike, a horse ride, to go out on a boat to fish or head to the mountains for some hunting, seems like an overly restrictive imposition on Hydra given that we are relatively safe and have, in the main, stayed clear of CoVid. But I can’t help thinking that if my son-in-law had had his heart-attack in May this year rather than in 2019, my grandson might not have a dad today!

So to those who are grumbling about having to stay home and stay safe, I would ask them to consider how they would feel if they needed emergency medical treatment because of an accident while they were out and about, but it isn’t available? Or nearly as bad, it takes too long to get help to you because the emergency services are already over-stretched attending other emergencies? In my view, in spite of it seeming to be CoVid-safe on Hydra, everyone must acknowledge that other ‘day-to-day’ types of accidents are necessarily kept to a minimum. So by staying in, you not only avoid catching or spreading CoVid, you help to reduce avoidable accidents that could put the emergency services under even more stress. Let’s face it, having to go to a hospital emergency department for a smashed leg or cracked head where the medical teams are also having to deal with highly contagious CoVid, is not desirable.

Thankfully from an economic point of view, as soon as the Spring restrictions were lifted, Hydra was a destination preferred by visitors who could still travel. Even though business for the first half of the year was wiped out, everyone here cautiously reports that July - October was considerably better than expected. But with travellers arriving, it was inevitable that some cases reached the island. Our minuscule but mighty medical services dealt with all of them very efficiently. But I use the word minuscule on purpose. There is no ICU on Hydra, we don’t have the staff and facilities to be able to hospitalise serious cases. If necessary, serious cases have to be sent to the mainland. But as everyone knows, ICU beds in Greece (and common worldwide) are perilously close to being full up. 

And so, with cases and deaths rising in Greece at an alarming rate, it is necessary for the Greek Government to impose a complete lockdown again. It is vital to protect the medical services so they can deal with CoVid cases as well as all the other conditions that they are confronted with.

I agree that it seems worse this time than in the Spring. It’s tough having to wear a mask all the time and to only go out for absolute essentials. But personally I would rather that than to potentially spread the virus to an elderly person who could die, or to needlessly take up the time and effort of the emergency and medical teams because of an accident that could have been avoided if I hadn’t gone out.

For those who can’t remember the specific restrictions or how to get SMS permits etc from the Spring, I have updated the CoVid - Hydra Updates page and will continue to keep it up-to-date for as long as necessary.

So to my friends, family and Hydra fans, I wish you well and hope you stay home, stay safe and stay sane during the November lockdown.