Covid Pass

 On Wednesday I had my third Covid shot. A bit of pain that night and the next morning, but it faded fast. Today I went out to pay my electricity bill in Downtown Patras. KEP (social security office) is close by the Protergia office where I pay the electricity bill so I decided to take my 3rd Covid appointment paper with me, just in case the government had already updated my vaccination status.

I took the train to the last stop, Agios Andreas, and walked along the ocean towards the KEP office.
New cat houses!

At the KEP office there was no line of people waiting outside. I went in.
10 minutes later I had a printout with the new QR code.
I walked on the main shopping street to the Protergia office.
Busy on the street, no lockdown!

From the downtown station I took the train back home.

Covid Booster shot

Yesterday was my Covid booster shot appointment, at 16.00hr. I took the train at 13.10 and got off at the downtown station.
The main shopping street was very busy, as there is no lockdown, a check at the entrance of stores of proof of vaccination, recovery or test result.

I walked Agios Nikolaos street, and up the stair case to the top.

From the top I walked to the Agio Andreas Hospital. I got there at 14.15. Early, but I figured, that like in June, when I was there for my second shot, that there would not be a long wait. 

I was helped right away. From the hospital I walked down Smirnis street to the Agios Andreas train stop, to go back home. 

Corona Virus

Here in Greece my Corona vaccination would expire on Jan 10 (7 months after the second shot on Jun 10) and, as I am over 60, I would get fined 100 euros per month.

So, my third (the booster) shot appointment is on December 22.....

Corona Virus

Greek PM: Unvaccinated banned from closed venues; Covid-Pass expires for all over 60: Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Thursday evening that unvaccinated citizens are banned from indoor venues and that all above 60 years old will be obliged to receive a…

Nov 08, 2021

 New Covid restrictions from Nov 06 to Nov 21.

I went to the Cosmote store today to pay the internet/phone bill, where I had to show a valid PCR/rapid test ot a Covid certificate and show an ID. I did not know about this, luckily I had my passport with me and the Covid certificate on my phone...

I went to a sporting good store, same thing.
Exceptions are, among others, supermarkets.

Covid PCR test

My friend Dagmar stayed here in Patras since last Tuesday and is flying to Frankfurt today. Because she was not vaccinated before flying from Frankfurt to Patras she had to do a Covid PCR test, (Free in Germany). 

Here in Patras, she had an appointment for a Covid PCR test yesterday at 10.00am at Magnitiki Patron (Cost 60 euros). 

After the test she was told that she would get an email between 14.00-15.00 with the result. 

No email was send. I called and was told to check back with them after 18.00. We took the train to their office at 18.10. When we got there her test result was ready and printed (negative). Good to fly...

Jun 10, 2021: Patra

Today was my second Pfizer shot appointment in the Andreas Hospital, on the west side of Patras. Like the first time I would have taken the train to the last stop and walked from there to the hospital. 

Of course, today was the day of a general strike in Greece of buses and trains. What to do, what to do...
I decided to walk the whole way and if my legs got tired take a taxi.|
I started walking at 07.00am,

no taxi in sight until I got close to downtown Patras. 

But I felt good, so I continued walking all the way to the hospital.
I had a slight detour otherwise I could have done it in 1 1/2 hour for a total distance of 6.5 miles.

I got my shot at 09.30. After a mandatory wait of 30 minutes I took a taxi back to the house. 

When I got there, Mitso (the gardener) had been waiting for about 5 minutes so the timing was perfect....Taxis in Patras are cheap, I paid 10 euros.

Greece is open!

 In town: 2 days ago.

In my neighborhood: Kastelo beach bar

 

Covid vaccination: 1st shot

 Yesterday evening I had my 1st Covid Pfizer shot. In the morning Alexis told me that he got a phone call that I could come in at 20.13 instead of the scheduled time of 21.13hr. Yes, oh yes!

I left the house at 14.45hr and took the train of 15.10 to downtown Patras.
I paid the electricity bill at the Protergia office and walked towards the Media Market (near the last train stop at Agios Andreas). On the way I took some video of the big Byzantine church.

Shopped at the Jumbo Store and got a 1 gallon jug (with a spout and water tap), so now I can make good use of the two lemon trees in the garden (cold water with slices of lemons).

I walked back to the beach and filmed some boats on the water.

and then I walked 30 minutes to the hospital San Andreas for my Covid shot. My plan was to go early and ask if I could get my shot earlier than 20.13hr. And I could! 

10 minutes after I checked in I got my shot at 18.10hr. 

After a mandatory wait (side effects) of 30 minutes I ran back to the train station, 

got the train of 19.30hr and was home at 20.00hr. 

May 12, 2021: Corona update

I took the train into Patras this morning. More people are taking it now. 

All along the port, a distance of 1km, cars were parked. Shops and outdoor cafe/restaurant seating is open. Lockdown is now from 23.00-05.00hr. Starting May 14 there is no longer a requirement to send a SMS notification. 

Greece opening May 10...

Greek Orthodox Easter was the past weekend. (Western Easter and Greek Orthodox Easter differ in many ways, but the dates of observation are the most apparent variation. The main reason for this difference is that Western Easter uses the calendar introduced by Pope Gregory in 1582 to determine the date of the celebration of Christ's resurrection. In contrast, the Greek Orthodox follow the older Julian calendar, which dates back to the era of the Roman Empire).

Yesterday was my weekly cleaning, not taking the train, walking along the beach day.
The Achaia Beach Hotel (5 minute walk from my house) is the big building on the left.

Workers setting up beach chairs and parasols in front of the Kastelo beach bar

Going back I saw at three houses people barbecue lamb on a spit in their gardens. More flowers!

Covid vaccination

 I am getting the Pfizer Covid vaccination: first shot on May 20, second shot on June 10.

Back story
I needed a temporary AMKA number (like my USA social security number) which I got logging into this website:
https://emvolio.gov.gr

• I needed to fill out my Father and Mother first name
• Tax number
• Nationality and passport number
• a Greek cell phone number (my Dutch phone number was not accepted)

After 3 days a SMS was send with the temporary AMKA number, with instructions to apply online reservation after 9 days.

Which I did, but it send me to a Taxisnet login page for which I did not have a a login name and password.

A friend of mine told me that I could do it without the Taxisnet login at a pharmacy. 

Which I did, this morning. It took 5 minutes.

Corona virus anniversary

 

Corona virus update

 More and more Spring is here and visible: flowers everywhere, trees budding, lots of birds before dawn (around 06.30). Where I live, for current information about Corona in Greece, I go to this website: https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/

Corona Virus

In Local news:

Travelers returning to Greece from abroad will be placed in 10-day preventive quarantine, government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Monday. The measure will be in effect from 18. December 2020 until 7. January 2021.

He stressed that the 10-day quarantine will be an additional measure to the Passenger Location Form (PLF) and the negative molecular Covid-19 test carried out 72 hours before arrival.

Travelers will also be subject to Rapid Tests upon entry.

No More Lockdown

Corona Virus

 Greece is locked down until the end of November.

https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2020/11/05/greece-lockdown-sms-guide-what-open-travel/ 

Starting Nov 07, 2020

Leave Home per SMS, printed form or handwritten note
SMS are to be sent to <13033>. Normally a confirm sms comes back immediately.
For SMS, the scheme is: x [space]  NAME/SURNAME ADDRESS (x is the option number)

1. For health reasons (going to a pharmacy, visiting a doctor or going to a hospital or health center, if this is recommended after relevant communication). [SMS – Option 1
]2. For purchase of essential supplies, where delivery not possible. [SMS – Option 2]
3. Going to a public services, if the electronic or telephone service is not possible only for urgent needs, after setting an appointment for which the citizen is informed in writing or electronically and under the additional condition of showing the above information. Go to the bank, to the extent that electronic transaction is not possible. [SMS – Option 3]
4. Provide assistance to people in need. Transfer to/from the place of work of a spouse or first degree relative, if necessary. Transfer of a minor to/from school [SMS – Option 4]
5. Attend a ceremony (eg funeral) under the conditions provided by law or going to divorced parents or separated parents to ensure necessary communication between parents and children, in accordance with the provisions in force. [SMS – Option 5]
6. Physical exercise outdoors or walking with a pet, individually or in pairs of two  [SMS – Option 6]

 What is open

Essential stores such a supermarkets, food stores (bakeries, butchers etc) pet shops, kiosks (24 hours), fuel stations,dry cleaning, optics and stores for hearing devices.

• Retail shops per e-shop sale.
•  Allowed are all activities of the primary and secondary section.
• Health services and veterinarian clinics
• Restaurants, cafes and bars are closed but Delivery and Take Away are allowed
• Open Farmers’ markets (Laiki)

 Not allowed to operate 

• among others: cinemas, theaters, archaeological sites, 
• playgrounds, amusement and theme parks.

Travel 

between regional units is forbidden except for these reasons: health, once travel to reach permanent residence, essential work (refers to seasonal workers)

• As of Monday, Nov 9, all travelers from abroad will have to show a negative COVID-19 test. It refers to travel via air (Test 48 hours prior to arrival) or land (72 hours.)
• Also as of Nov 9, travelers who leave Greece will have to fill a Passenger Location Form.

Aug 29, 2020: Flagstaff

 The monsoon is finally here: Clouds and rain in the afternoon. The temperature is very nice. 

Good flying news! As of Sep 01, when flying from Holland to Greece, a negative Corona test certificate is no longer required. Hopefully this stays like that at least until the end of september, because I am flying to Greece on Sep 28....

Aug 15, 2020: Flagstaff

My last eye check was Friday: both eyes are good. I got a prescription for reading glasses from the clinic.I went to an optician: 2 pairs of reading glasses for $69, I will have them he end of August. 

Greece is now (until Aug 30, for now), requiring people flying in from Holland to have a negative Corona virus test with them, Printed, with passport number and doctor's signature. There is a site at the Amsterdam airport that does it. But as the document is valid only for 72 hours, timing is tricky. In Flagstaff it cannot be done, result comes back 3 to 5 days later.....

Mar 25, 2020: Amsterdam-Los Angeles

06.00: My brother drove me to the airport.. Check-in was easy and fast.
07:00: There were no customers at Security.
07:45: After walking through an empty terminal (all stores and food places are closed), I am now waiting at the gate (also empty). On my way.....
09.00-09.30: We are allowed to get on the plane. All 10 crew members and about 80 customers.
We had to sit in our assigned seats until after take-off.
10.00: Everybody changed seats. I got bumped up to Economy Class Comfort (more legroom) and I had 9 seats to myself.
Mar 26: 01.45 or local time Mar 25: 12.45
Arrival at Los Angeles airport. Which was totally void of passengers. Lots of staff though. The Corona virus check consisted of a forehead temperature check. Through customs, very simple, because again, no customer were there.
My friend Ingrid picked me up and we went to her house in San Pedro, where i will stay until Sunday when I leave on a night train to Flagstaff....I hope