Local COVID19 measures

We are monitoring the situation around COVID19, globally and in particular in Europe and in Greece. We monitor the number of confirmed cases, the number of patients with severe symptoms, and communications by European governments regarding travel and organization of events. Together with our local chairs, we monitor the situation in Greece from the government sources (link).

We will be informing the registered participants regularly with the most up-to-date information about COVID19, in particular:

• The borders are open and international travel is allowed (given that you have a valid visa or the right for a visa-free entrance).
• The flights are operating normally.
• The entrance requirement enforced by the local government – what is required to cross the border without the need to quarantine.

If any of the points above change, we will notify all the registered participants.

The event will take place on the premises of the Simantro Beach hotel, located far from urban areas, surrounded by forest and the sea. 

The hotel offers good sanitary facilities.

The hotel has the possibility to test its guests for COVID19.

The hotel cannot guarantee that all guests are vaccinated. However, there will be few other guests in the hotel apart from the summer school participants.

The hotel offers good conditions regarding ventilation and spaces. The main hall that we will use for the plenary sessions has ventilation and openable windows. The hall is large enough so that the participants can keep some distance from each other. We will use outside spaces to organize the parallel session workshops. This format of ‘outside’ sessions has been successfully used in the pre-coronavirus summer schools. Many workshop organizers held their sessions on the beach, next to a pool or in the shadows of terraces, replacing slides with creative and informal tools and activities. The participants appreciated the format very much. This year, we will encourage and instruct all workshop organizers to prepare their sessions for outside environments. The main hall will also be available for those workshops where a large screen is necessary.

Acceptable vaccines are among others:

• Pfizer BioNtech mRNA / Comirnaty
• Moderna mRNA / Spikevax
• Astra Zeneca/Oxford ChAdOx1 nCoV (AZD1222) / Vaxzevria
• Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Ad26
• Sinavac/Coronavac
• Gamaleya (Sputnik) Ad26/Ad5, Gam-COVID-Vac, Sputnik vaccine
• Cansiνo Biologics AD5-nCOV, trade-named Convidencia
• Sinopharm
• Covishield ChAdOx1 nCoV
• BBV152 COVAXIN Bharat Biotech, India Whole virion inactivated

As of 14.05.2021, flight restrictions from EU countries have been lifted and no mandatory quarantine is required. In addition, our country welcomes flights to all international airports.

During their stay in Greece, foreign visitors must follow all measures that apply to Greek citizens. [Updated] Access to indoor areas of restaurants, leisure and sports facilities is allowed without showing a vaccination certificate. Wearing masks indoors is still required as of 1 May 2022.

Specific isolation (quarantine) hotels operate near each entrance gate, as well as in other strategic points nationwide. This way, an adequate safety net for case management is in place, combined with an early detection upon the arrival of tourists from abroad. The cost for the isolation hotels is covered by the Greek state.

Visitors who have been diagnosed with COVID19 upon arrival can isolate at their booked hotel, only in the case the hotel is a 4* and 5* and provides the service of quarantine rooms as specified by the competent Health Authorities. According to legislation, the visitor upon arrival can request from the Civil Protection authorities to contact her/his booked hotel regarding the availability of such service.

Resource: https://travel.gov.gr/

Note that our venue hotel Simantro Beach Hotel does not provide the quarantine service.

Please have in mind that changes in national safety protocols may apply. For that reason you should check the updated information here.

Updated: Simantro Beach hotel decided not to offer quarantine rooms this season. In case of an infection, participants will be transferred to the closest COVID19 hotel. The cost for the isolation hotels is covered by the Greek state.

Simantro Beach hotel provides the service of convenient Covid-19 Tests inside the hotel.

In required, we can call for a mobile PCR test unit to come to our hotel to do a test.

Simantro Beach hotel belongs to the Ghotels Group – Halkidiki, and all Ghotels can ensure the maximum protection and the best possible conditions for relaxation and relief of their guests during the procedures for COVID-19 tests. You may check the following actions:

• Collaboration with a medical company ‘Medical Health Care’ which will conduct Rapid Tests at the special price of 20€ per person at the hotel. The results are given within 20 minutes from the time of the test, with an official certificate. Appointment required.
• Cooperation with a medical company ‘Medical Health Care’ which will conduct PCR Tests at the special price of 60€ per person at the hotel. The results are given within 24 hours from the time of the test, with an official certificate. Appointment required.
• All our operating hotels have a private doctor’s office with a physical presence of a doctor daily 10.00–21.00
• A private doctor is available upon request for emergencies any day and time, 24/7, during hotels operation period.

Resource (link).