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Measures by the City of Athens against COVID-19

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April 15, 2020

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Measures for the Digital Reconstruction of the services in the City of Athens

1. Decision by circulation by all the collective bodies of the City of Athens (City Council, District Councils, Economic Committee and Life Quality Committee).
2. Possibility for the citizens to apply electronically through the digital services platform https://eservices.cityofathens.gr/ for a TAP certificate (= that no municipal taxes – paid through the electricity bill – are due)
3. Possibility for the citizens to apply electronically through https://eservices.cityofathens.gr/ in order to correct the square meters of the surface of their property.
4. Possibility for the citizens to apply for and receive a number of certificates, through a new e-platform of digital services: birth registration act, birth certificate, family status certificate, certificate of locality, citizenship certificate, copy of marriage certificate, copy of civil partnership certificate, copy of death certificate, permanent residence certificate, next of kin certificate, male registry certificate.
5. Possibility for the professionals who have compulsorily suspended their activity due to the coronavirus pandemic to apply electronically for their     exemption from sanitation and street lighting fees, through the digital        services platform for citizens and enterprises. (https://eservices.cityofathens.gr/ ).

 Economic Relief Measures of the City of Athens Against the Coronavirus

6. Exceptional economic relief measures for enterprises in Athens but also for families affected by this unprecedented health crisis. More specifically, for enterprises that compulsorily cease their operation due to the coronavirus containment measures it is foreseen:

– Exemption from payment of State fees (sanitation and street lighting fees as    well as tax on electric – powered premises) 

– Exemption from payment of public space occupancy fees 

– Exemption from payment of duties on the purchase of temporary residence     in short – stay accommodation (5%) 

– Exemption from payment of fees on the gross revenues of commercial premises (0.5%)

7. Suspension of payment of the parents’ financial contribution (subsistence fees) to the Early Childhood Centers and Nursery schools of the City of Athens for the period they remain closed due to the coronavirus. 
8. Enhancement of the protection measures for consumers and workers in cooperation with the professionals of the Central Meat and Fish Market (Varvakeios), following the updated decisions and directions of the Ministry for Health and the National Public Health Organization.

Social Measures of the City of Athens

“Assistance at Home Plus”

9. Creation of “Assistance at Home Plus”, a mechanism for receiving and handling requests of citizens who belong to vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, people with underlying diseases, as well as lonely people not in position to look after themselves. By calling the municipal hotlines 1595 or 210-5277000, those in need inform the specialists team about their situation and then members of the team visit them at home bringing essential goods, such as food and medicines, and offering consultation and psychological support, nursing and family assistance. Also, distribution to social welfare recipients of essential goods from the municipal social grocery and the municipal social pharmacy as well as alternative soup kitchens with ready-to-eat food from the City of Athens Reception and Solidarity Center (KYADA). Through the “Assistance at Home Plus” programme, more than 16.000 beneficiaries will be receiving food and basic goods packages of the Greek Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (TEBA), thus constituting the largest ever at-home service in the City of Athens.

Two New Structures of the City of Athens

10. Creation of the Multi-purpose Homeless Center, a totally renovated and fully equipped new hosting structure for all the homeless people of our city. Thanks to the continuous and tireless efforts of the streetwork teams, more than 100 people have already been registered in order to enter this new structure. Relevant organizations, such as the Hellenic Red Cross, Apostoli, Praksis, Médecins du Monde, Equal Society etc. have contributed with their experience and knowledge to this significant effort. Every recipient undergoes a social assessment and then a series of clinical and laboratory examinations including the coronavirus test. In case of a positive result, the standard quarantine and isolation procedure is followed, according to the National Public Health Organization directives. Furthermore, another hosting structure for the homeless has almost been concluded.
11. Creation of a new hosting structure for homeless drug addicts, in cooperation with relevant organizations such as the Therapy Center for Dependent Individuals (KETHEA) and the Organization Against Drugs (OKANA), that provides them with the necessary psychosocial and medical support in order to keep them off the streets.
12. Accommodation of 23 elderly people at “Hestia Athens”, a structure of the City of Athens Reception and Solidarity Center (KYADA).
13. Operation by the City of Athens of a Social Pharmacy serving 2.761 people.
14. Provision of information about the measures against the coronavirus at the two structures – hostels of the City of Athens Reception and Solidarity Center (KYADA) and vigilance on the detection of possible suspected cases so as to immediately inform the National Public Health Organization.
15. Creation and continuous reproduction by the municipal radio station of information and prevention spots against the coronavirus, not only in Greek but also in other eight languages.
16. Offer to parents by the municipal radio station of the possibility to be informed by specialized experts (child psychologists, occupational therapists, teachers, professors and experts from the Ministry of Education) about the ways of behaviour and how to handle their children who stay at home, especially those under 12 years old.

Measures for Total Sanitation in the City of Athens

17. Disinfection and cleaning of streets, pavements, pedestrian walkways, squares and public hospitals of the city, as well as benches, bus stops and waste containers with the use of a mixture of both water and disinfectant, according to the standards set by the National Health Organization. Further disinfections in all places under the responsibility of the City of Athens take place immediately whenever and wherever necessary, according to the directions of the National Public Health Organization and the World Health Organization.
18. All municipal employees have been provided with personal protective equipment, such as masks, gloves, special uniforms and goggles.

Measures of the City of Athens regarding Culture and Sports

19. Οffer of virtual tours and exhibitions, on-line actions and performances, digital seminars and workshops, on-line music concerts and theatre plays etc. by the Athens Culture Net, Technopolis and the City of Athens Culture, Sports and Youth Organization.
20. Suspension of operation of all open sport facilities operated by the City of Athens Culture, Sports and Youth Organization (OPANDA), taking into consideration the safety of the citizens and according to the decisions and directions of the Ministry for Health and the National Public Health Organization.
21. Suspension of operation of all municipal playgrounds.

Support Hotlines of the City of Athens

22. Operation of municipal hotlines for the psychological and first aid support (210-3637365 and 210-3638049, respectively) of the citizens by psychologists, social workers, doctors and nurses from the municipal health clinics.
23. The programme “All women safe” by the City of Athens in cooperation with Center Diotima offers – free of charge – legal help (legal consulting,       assistance in filing a lawsuit, court representation) and psychosocial support (psychological first aid, information and linking with services) by specialized lawyers and a psychologist/social worker. A new support hotline (210-5210645 and [email protected]) offers to women the possibility to communicate with specialized scientific personnel from the Department of Equality and Anti-Discrimination Policies of the City of Athens.

At the same time, the City of Athens’ “Hostel for women victims of gender          violence and their children” is open 24/7 and provides women and their        children with accommodation, security, psychological and social support by specialized staff as well as access to consulting through the Advisory Centers           of the General Secretariat for Family Policy and Gender Equality.

24. Advice and consulting by specialists of the Greek Association for Asperger Syndrome to families facing the problem of autism, through the City of Athens’ Psychological Support Hotline (210 3637365).
25. Operation of a municipal support hotline (210 8839151) concerning the current legislation and explanatory circulars on labour relations, in order to inform the citizens about the government measures for the protection of   employees and enterprises affected by the necessary travel restrictions and the economic situation in general.

Measures of the City of Athens for the citizens’ health

26. Transformation of the Health Clinic at the 5^th Municipal District to a medical centre for the examination of citizens concerning the coronavirus, in cooperation with the National Public Health Organization.
27. Diagnostic tests by the City of Athens and the National Public Health Organization for 124 elderly people hosted at the Athens Nursing Home.
28. Voluntary blood donations during the month of April in cooperation with the National Blood Donation Center and “Evangelismos” hospital.

Measures for the Internal Organization of the City of Athens’ services

29. Immediate recruitment under fixed-term contracts of 400 people from various professional fields.
30. Operation of the municipal services with security personnel in order to protect the health of the employees and at the same time guarantee the normal level of services to the citizens.
31. Suspension of the operation of the municipal city planning services to the public without any financial impact on the citizens.
32. Suspension of the operation of the municipal financial services to the public without any economic consequence, as the citizens have the possibility to pay their debts via ebanking.
33. Suspension of operation of the premises of all seven Municipal Districts.
34. Suspension of operation of the municipal Community Centers, whereas social welfare recipients remain totally protected.

Measures regarding the City of Athens Municipal Police

35. Return of all vehicle and motorcycle registration plates that had been removed until March 12 in order to facilitate the citizens in their transportation by avoiding the congestion in the means of public transport.
36. Suspension of operation of the municipal controlled parking system and free use of the visitors’ spots in order to facilitate the citizens to avoid public transportation.
37. Suspension of obligation for physical presence of the citizens at the premises of the Municipal Police in order to submit objections on parking violation tickets, as this can now be done by using a new application: https://eenstasi.cityofathens.gr/eEnstasi/

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38. The Municipal Authority in Athens, apart from the numerous measures that has already taken to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and protect public health, is making every effort, in cooperation with all competent services and the Central Government, to secure the continuation of normal life in our city at all levels.

(last updated April 14, 2020)