On Wednesday, 11 March 2020, the Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, held a meeting, to specify actions aiming at raising awareness and protecting the Armed Forces military and civilian personnel from the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

The Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Alkiviadis Stefanis, the Secretary General Mr. Antonis Ikonomou, the Chief of HNDGS General Konstantinos Floros, the Chief of HAFGS Lieutenant General Georgios Blioumis, the Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Charalambos Lalousis, the Chief of HNGS Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis, as well as the Directors of the HNDGS Medical Services and Staff Directorates also attended the meeting.

In the context of the wider planning regarding the protection of public health, which is the government’s primary concern, it was decided to take the following prevention measures:

-Grant of a special-purpose leave, in addition to the regular one, mainly for the military and civilian personnel, which is granted to one of the two parents (in case of a single parent family, it is granted to that parent), for the time period that schools’ operation is suspended and until 10 April 2020. For every four days of leave, three days will be considered as special purpose and only one will be registered as regular.

-If one parent is granted a special purpose leave, the other parent is not entitled to that kind of leave simultamneously. If one parent does not work, the other parent is not entitled to a special purpose leave. This does not apply if one parent is hospitalized or is infected with the coronavirus or he/she is a Person with Disabilities.

-Suspension of operation of the Armed Forces Career Schools (NATIONAL DEFENCE COLLEGE, SUPREME JOINT WAR COLLEGE etc), until 10 April 2020.

-Suspension of all Military Parades regarding the celebration of the 25th of March National Day.

-Suspension of Overseas Leaves.

-Suspension of students’ Academic education attending Military Academies (HIGH MILITARY EDUCATION INSTITUTES-HIGH NCOs MILITARY SCHOOLS), until 10 April 2020.

-Suspension of allocating Armed Forces personnel and assets, in the context of festivities (military detachments, bands, etc).

-Conduct of oath-taking ceremonies of recruited soldiers, seamen, airmen, without any guests.

In addition, the Directors of the Medical Services presented all hygiene prevention measures, the available means and infrastructures; further required actions were also presented in detail.

The situation is constantly under assessment, in full coordination with the Competent Services of the Ministry of Health.