Professionals in the sector denounce its commodification. focus following the announcement of new measures to tackle pandemic. As they emphasize, Once again, healthcare companies are being used as a ‘battering ram’ against unvaccinated citizens., in order to cover deficits in government policy. They also note that after the losses of the previous 15 months, the sector is entering a new period of turmoil.
It is noteworthy that in its announcement yesterday, the Panhellenic Federation of Restaurants and Related Professions (POESE) stated that «The restaurant market will be in a mini lockdown from September 13, 2021, to March 31, 2022., following the announcement of new measures by the government regarding the conditions for the presence of vaccinated and unvaccinated citizens in indoor areas of stores.
As he states, «the government's measures undoubtedly reduce customers' access to indoor dining areas, as one in two Greeks is unvaccinated, while also creating enormous problems for the survival of businesses. In fact, the focus is once again on a months-long informal lockdown»POESE emphasizes this point and calls on the government not to exploit the sector once again in order to pressure citizens to get vaccinated.
«With the measures it has announced, the government is once again exploiting businesses in the catering sector, and at the same time has withdrawn the support measures it provided», emphasizes the Federation, adding:
«Public health is the supreme good that we must all protect, but we cannot once again use a sector that has been closed for the entire previous period and has accumulated debts and losses as a ‘battering ram’ against unvaccinated citizens. The problems this creates are enormous and jeopardise the viability of hundreds of businesses that have endured the previous period, exhausting every possibility they had. The fact that businesses operated for 1.5 months in the summer is not enough to offset the losses of the previous 15 months.
New support measures
As noted in the announcement, POESE and its members respect the efforts to combat the pandemic and urge citizens and their employees to get vaccinated, but they ask the government, to provide compensation to businesses in the sector for the measures it has announced, so that they can survive the difficult winter ahead, such as:
- Reduction in rent.
- Possibility of suspending employment contracts.
- New refundable advance payment programs for businesses in the sector.
In addition, the Circle of Catering Professionals, in collaboration with POESE, has urgently raised the issue of exemption from municipal fines imposed in 2020 and extension of the deadline for confirming business debts so that they can join the 100-installment payment plan. As members of the Circle emphasize, if measures are not taken now, by next fall there will be many closures in the sector.
A difficult September is coming
Meanwhile, in a statement yesterday, the president of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) & Regional Chamber of Attica (PESA), Vasilis Korkidis, commented on the new measures: regarding the pandemic, he noted that «September will be a critical month for the economy, as the new measures will be implemented." He added that "September will have a heavy agenda of events and challenges for the economy and the pandemic.".
As he said «The country's economy and business continue to be «in the crosshairs» of the pandemic. An economy that has been tested by successive lockdown, as well as the resilience of businesses. Unfortunately, it did not emerge unscathed. Given the current situation, the economy and the market will not be able to withstand another universal or local lockdown. For this reason, it is necessary to accelerate the pace of vaccination, even starting a third dose for vulnerable groups or after the 9-month immunity period, in order to avoid the worst.
As he noted: «There has been much talk about individual responsibility. Indeed, it is the responsibility of all of us and each of us as we make up the social whole. It is primarily an act of responsibility to protect society as a whole. To protect the jobs of a number of businesses, mostly small and medium-sized, which we tend to describe as the backbone of the economy. We cannot afford to close businesses and lose jobs. The pandemic does not discriminate politically or economically. It strikes indiscriminately, targeting the weakest links. It is time to strengthen these links so that we can get our lives back. Any fears about vaccinations are understandable, to the extent possible, but health and the economy are not based on dilemmas, nor do they recover through fear.
«We do not want social automatisms and divisions between vaccinated and unvaccinated people, but mutual respect.», Mr. Korkidis concludes his statement. «We rely on the harsh reality of daily cases, intubations, and deaths. The measures announced place the unvaccinated in a continuous process of testing at their own expense, making their daily lives more difficult and reducing their ability to visit public and private spaces. However, overall, the measures protect and facilitate the majority, including the 5.6 million fully vaccinated citizens. Let's not risk our health and the lives of those around us any longer, since we can stop the spread through vaccination. Finally, let's try to improve our finances by implementing all public health and safety measures in all workplaces.
