With all the travel restrictions will it affect Thassos?.
Hey Tony 
As of today, there are no travel restrictions for Greece and weāve had 0 cases of the coronavirus in Thassos and Kavala.
Even though the situation in Greece has not escalated like in other countries, the Greeks are still taking the virus very seriously and have implemented big measures to try to get in front of it before it has the chance to escalate.
Our goal is to keep Greece a safe holiday destination. Weāre making a collective effort to prevent the spread of the virus well before the summer.
Starting yesterday, schools have been closed while some church ceremonies and events have been suspended. Large gatherings and public events have also been temporarily banned, among other measures.
Since weāre still 2-3 months away from the start of the summer season, we locals are feeling optimistic that the situation will normalize by then. We hope there wonāt be any travel restrictions but if anything changes I will let you know right here.
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Glad to hear mate,looking forward to Thassos.
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Augie, howās it looking over there? Iām guessing since the tourist season hasnāt started you are in a good position with keeping it at bay.
Hey Leanne
You make a really good point.
Greece is lucky the outbreak happened when it did. If it happened during the summer weād find the situation a lot more challenging due to the high number of people coming to Greece from around the world.
Fortunately, the tourism season is still months away and the number of people traveling to Greece is a lot fewer, making the situation much more manageable.
Spring is now upon us and the weather is starting to warm up. We believe this will help reduce the survivability of the virus.
Yesterday, I saw a scientific analysis on TV suggesting that the virus is significantly less of a threat in places with a warm climate compared with places with a cool climate.
Viruses generally canāt survive at 25 Ā°C or higher, which is the average temperature in Greece during the month of June. If this holds true for COVID-19 then we are confident Greece will fare really well and be a safe holiday destination this summer.
In the meantime, more and more measures will be taken in Greece to stop the spread before the summer.
For example, starting today, all restaurants, cafes, bars, and shopping centers have been ordered to close down for 2 weeks. Museums and archaeological sites will be closed until the end of March.
We have 0 known cases in Thassos and Kavala to date.
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I hope you are right Augie but I think it is more about movement of a lot of people in large areas. I was in Oxford two weeks ago taking photos and there were no reported cases. However, today there are 22 and rising and there are people there from all over the world. In Thailand it is 34 degs today and cases are rising there. Some countries are much behind due to it arriving late from less people travelling.
Hope you stay free from it
Although it has not been implemented yet our Health Minister has suggested that all people aged 70 + may be told to go into self isolation for four months and that would take us into August if it starts at the end of this month
Hi Delboy
You make a good point about Thailand, which may be indicative that covid-19 doesnāt respond to high temperatures in the same way as other viruses. If that proves to be the case, then hopefully the actions taken here at haste will make the difference.
One of the latest measures adopted (today) in Greece is limiting the number of people allowed inside supermarkets at the same time. To ensure that shoppers always have a minimum of 2 meters of empty space around them, only 1 customer will be allowed inside for every 10 square meters of floor space. So if the supermarket has 100 square meters of floor space, only 10 customers will be allowed in at any time.
Today they also announced that the border with Albania and North Macedonia will be temporarily closed while flights to and from Spain have been temporarily banned. Cruise ships are also now banned in Greece.
Iām also following the developments in the UK and I hope the measures being taken there will be effective. The entire world is watching and learning from each other.
People over 70 are the most vulnerable and we definitely need to take very special care of them. I donāt know if the 4-month isolation is a good move because loneliness is already a big problem for the elderly and this would exacerbate it. In the age of smartphones, tablets, and video calls, I hope they will be able to cope easier if it should happen.
If it does happen, then Iām happy that it will still be summer after the 4-month period and they will still have the opportunity to enjoy their summer holiday. For the 70+'s who have booked already, I am absolutely certain that any and every accommodation owner will understand the situation and provide free and flexible reservation changes. So if they booked for June or July they should have no problems changing their reservations for August or September.
Hi Augie,
I will keep you updated on what is going on here in the UK. Our government have admitted it is not possible to control it and if allowed to continue it would cause a high peak of casualties where our National Health service could not cope with the numbers. So they are trying to spread it out more towards summer and reduce the high peak where the NHS can more cope.
It is something other countries are not doing and hope we are right. The experts say we need 60% of the people (I guess the younger ones) to catch it to kill off the virus by it having less new contacts to spread it to. However, that puts us older people having to keep out of the way for a longer period to avoid catching it.
We might get 2 months remission for good behaviour but this wonāt be pleasant for us if it happens.
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Hi everybody
New measures in Greece have been announced in order to help stop the spread of the covid-19 (coronavirus). These measures are going to be implemented this week and we expect them to be lifted well before the summer.
Holiday resorts are closing until May
All holiday resorts have been ordered to remain closed until 30 April. This measure is to minimize traffic during the Easter holidays which is a very popular time for tourism in Greece. City hotels, however, will remain open for business.
Thereās a 14-day quarantine period for everyone coming to Greece from abroad
Anyone travelling to Greece from outside the country will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Shops are closing starting Wednesday
All shops have been ordered to remain closed starting this Wednesday. This is in addition to the restaurants, bars, and various other types of businesses that are shut since last Saturday. This measure is to encourage people to stay at home. Supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations, and banks will all remain open.
As you can see, a lot is being done already and more measures are on the way. For those who are planning to visit in March or April, consider changing your dates to later in the year. If you chose this time of year to avoid the summer heat and big crowds, then consider coming in late September.
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This OK. Best wishes to you Augie and to all friends of Thassos 
Hi Augie today 16/3
Our Prime Minister said: "This avoiding all social contact is especially important for the over 70, pregnant women and those with health conditions.
"Those with the most serious conditions are largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks.
"It is now clear that the peak of the epidemic is coming faster in some parts of the country than others.
"People over 70 might feel there is something excessive about these measures.
āI believe they are overwhelmingly worth it to slow the spread of the disease reduce the peak save life minimise suffering and give our NHS the chance to cope.ā
"People over 70 might feel there is something excessive about these measures.
Mr Johnson added: āāThis advice about avoiding all social contact is particularly important for people over 70, for pregnant women and for those with some health conditions.āā
''We want to ensure that this period of shielding, this period of maximum protection, coincides with the peak of the disease and it is now clear that the peak of the epidemic is coming faster in some parts of the country than in others. ā
āThe peak of epidemic coming faster in others parts of the country, and it now looks like London a few weeks ahead.ā
Mr Johnson said by the weekend, groups particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 will be asked to stay at home for 12 weeks.
FRANCE is really getting a big hit now and not long before a Paris quarantine
Hi Delboy
It seems that the UK is trying a different (albeit riskier) strategy in order to bring the least possible disruption to the UK economy.
By keeping schools open, which really surprises me, parents arenāt needing to take off work or worry about what to do with their kids. Many of the children would be sent to their grandparents which Iām guessing the government is trying to avoid in order to reduce spread to them.
The UK seems to be placing its bets on quarantining the older and more vulnerable population and letting the virus run its course through the rest of the population. Is this a fair assessment?
Either way, stay safe my friend! I really hope your governmentās strategy proves to be successful!
Hi Augie,
We have to avoid other people, not to go out to pubs, restaurants and theatres. People now need to work at home where possible. I donāt think schools are far away from closing. The virus is now starting to go up the graph model and basically we do not have enough ventilators for all the casualties expected in the coming weeks. More are currently being built and it is realised the oxygen is not enough for a number of patients. The medical expert now hopes we can keep the death rate below 20,000 which is still horrendous but sounds like their best target achievement. We need to isolate where possible.
Everything is being done in a voluntary British fashion with people acting to do their best to help. A lot of financial help in loans has been put in place to help people and businesses to survive.
It appears to be going over many months to come out of all this. Testing is now not possible to see how many have actually got it and some people have only mild version of it and just donāt know they have it
Hi Augie,
Yes thatās a fair assessment (i think Del will agree)
Iām currently trying to find a balance between hysteria and being careful since i have two asthmatic older children and i visit homes for my job 
Hope everyone on my favourite island is keeping safe xx
Hi Augie, Iām now 66 living on pension and our trip booked to Thassos for the 14th time later this year could be the last.
We have had great holidays at Golden Beach and Skala Potamia dating back to 1997 including two fantastic weeks in June last year.
TUI have been paid in full for our trip for June 2020 and Iām preying this terrible time blows over quickly and we get there once again.
However now getting very doubtful as English airports are predicting they will be closing in May as they will be out of money. Iām also concerned that TUI will not be able to refund our cash or give us a credit receipt to cover our return to the island.
However more importantly for the sake of the lively-hoods of the beautiful people of Thassos I hope the custom from the the overland visitors from Roumania and Bulgaria keeps Thassos going and does not suffer financially.
Fingers crossed all will be good and we can enjoy our beers at the Golden Sands, food at Fedras and walks down to Skala Potamia again this year. Steve
Hi Leanne
I completely understand your concerns. One of my sisters lives in Florida and she has 2 little boys with respiratory issues, which is making her nervous as the coronavirus is beginning to spread there as well.
Iād like to highlight some positive insights coming from countries dealing with the virus for a while already, such as China and Italy. Weāre observing that covid-19 has been much less dangerous to the younger population. Their symptoms are far fewer and less intense compared with the older population. Still, we should all be taking every precaution to protect one another, without falling into a sense of hysteria, paranoia, or panic.
Please take care of yourself, Leanne. Especially since you visit peopleās homes. Do follow the health expertsā recommendations as much as you deem necessary for your own personal circumstances.
Here at Go-Thassos, we closed our office to foot traffic as of Monday, 16/3. Weāve effectively self-quarantined the team in order to keep us and the general public safe. Weāre practicing top-notch personal hygiene practices which 1 month ago weād have considered excessive, but weāre doing our part.
Everybody has a part to play and, if we each do it well, then this virus will be contained and put behind us sooner rather than later.
We still havenāt heard of any cases on Thassos or in Kavala but we, the residents, are still acting as if we have the virus ourselves and weāre behaving accordingly. I think if everybody adopts this mentality and sticks with it for the next few weeks, we could easily avoid those worst-case scenarios weāre hearing about.
The āStay Homeā movement in Greece is really making a big difference here. Not only are schools, church services, and non-essential businesses shutting down and staying shut for the next couple of weeks, but people are choosing to stay home, which is a positive development.
We havenāt needed a mandatory lockdown like in other countries, but it may still be on the table if we see the number of cases in Greece rise significantly. So far, weāve been very fortunate with a slow and manageable rise in new cases.
I believe it also helps that our leadership in the Greek government is practicing what they are preaching. They are no longer gathering or meeting in person. They are holding all of their meetings online via video conferences.
The Greek prime minister is also hosting televised video conferences with his opposition leaders to discuss ideas and ways of managing the outbreak together. This situation is bringing the political parties together under a common goal which is refreshing to see and quite reassuring.
The Greek government just announced today that they will provide salaried workers, those who are put out of work because of the forced closures, a monthly cash allowance to help them get by. Their social security contributions will also be covered by the state until they are back at work.
Step-by-step, measures are being taken in Greece and Iād like everyone to know the Greeks are handling this calmly and responsibly. We have so much to lose economically to covid-19 because we depend on tourism, probably more than most countries on average. However, peopleās good health always comes first in Greece.
Hi Broderick
Thank you so much for your kind words of support! Iād like to reciprocate and offer you a few words of support, too!
Please donāt be discouraged by the current situation with your booking this June. As sad as it would be for your trip to not take place due to the situation, know that everything will get better and itās a matter of time.
As we learn more about covid-19 and how to deal with it more effectively, many of todayās uncertainties will diminish over the coming weeks.
I believe you should be entitled to re-schedule your trip for later in the year if the UK measures (or the general situation) prevent you from coming this June. Iād be very surprised if they donāt take the current events under consideration and allow you to change your dates if the situation makes it necessary. Most travel companies are offering this flexibility, regardless of the booking terms, and governments are stepping in to help these companies because they are indeed taking a big financial hit because of all of this.
There are a lot of bad scenarios floating around and itās easy to become frightened and feel a sense of panic or depression setting in. When this happens, just close your eyes and try to remember how it felt during your previous 13 visitsā¦ just laying there, between the warm sun and the soft sand of Golden Beach, sipping an ice-cold Mythos and having a laugh with Giannis and Sofia (the owners of Golden Sands), just to name a few of your Thassian friends.
Rest assured Thassos will be here waiting for you this Summer or Autumn. By then, we should be in much better shape if everyone plays their part responsibly, as we are doing.
In the meantime, take care of yourself and stay well. That should be everybodyās priority and thatās what matters most right now.
Here in Greece, we say āĪ£ĻĪ·Ī½ Ļ Ī³ĪµĪÆĪ± Ī¼Ī±Ļā (which means āTo our health!ā) when clinking a Mythos or glass of ouzo, and for good reason. We say that because we believe peopleās health must always come first. You see, when we have a drink together even during the best of times, this is how we traditionally remind each other that our good health is essential. Without good health, we wouldnāt be able to enjoy these happy moments together.
So stay healthy and keep your loved ones safe for nowā¦ and soon enough youāll find yourself returning for your 14th trip to Thassos! Your Thassian friends will be waiting for you with open arms! 
Iāll end this post with a link to our webcam in Golden Beach. I promise we will do our very best to keep this webcam running for you, and for everybody else that is counting down the days to visit Thassos!
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Augie your government could teach our lot a thing or two!
Our schools are closing from Friday and Iām guessing a kind of lockdown will soon follow.
Two weeks ago I was being laughed at for my extra hand washing and wiping down in the car/office /home .. theyāre not laughing now!!!
I didnāt really you had offices.. I would like to pop by and say hello 
(assuming by September weāre allowed) lol
Keep safe!!
sadly I think Greece is behind us and in the earlier stages. I think the UK is trying to avoid what is happening in Italy today with not enough beds and equipment to save peoples lives and their latest toll is devastating. Whether our model is good enough to keep the high level down no one can be sure but what a world disaster this is
keep well all
Leanne, Iāll be thrilled to see you! Yes, pop by our office when youāre here this September!
Delboy, you might be right. Greece could be in the earlier stages compared to the UK.
Greece is doubling down its efforts to contain the coronavirus by preventing new covid-19 cases from entering the country. Today the Greek government announced these new measures:
All Inbound and Outbound passenger flights will be suspended from Sunday evening, March 22
Greece is temporarily closing its air borders due to the sharp rise in new coronavirus cases around the world. Cargo will continue to fly in and out of the country uninterrupted.
Hotels in Greece will temporarily close from midnight Monday, March 23 until 30 April
All hotels in Greece that are open year-round will close until the end of April. In the meantime, Athens and Thessaloniki each will keep 3 hotels open while every regional capital city in Greece will keep 1 hotel open.