Greek authorities on alert as strep A cases prompt school closures
Greek health authorities remain on alert following a rise in group A streptococcus (strep A) infections across several regions, prompting the temporary closure of schools on Monday as a precautionary measure.
New cases have been reported in schools in Kalamaria and Oraiokastro – both in the Thessaloniki area – as well as in the regions of Serres, Crete, and Attica, according to local officials.
The National Public Health Organization (EODY) has issued updated guidance on the transmission and prevention of the bacterial infection. Strep A spreads primarily through respiratory droplets from symptomatic individuals, contact with contaminated surfaces or skin lesions, and occasionally from asymptomatic carriers. However, individuals with symptoms are significantly more infectious.
Recommended preventive measures include frequent handwashing, avoiding close contact, ensuring proper classroom ventilation, regular cleaning of shared surfaces, and home isolation of confirmed cases for at least 24 hours after starting antibiotic treatment.
Despite the uptick in cases, EODY President Christos Hatzichristodoulou urged local authorities and parents not to close schools or conduct disinfection procedures, which he described as unnecessary and potentially counterproductive.
“It’s understandable that municipalities and parents want to protect children, but these actions may not help – and could even do harm,” Hatzichristodoulou told public broadcaster ERT. “Schools should remain open, and surface disinfections offer no real benefit in this case.”
He noted that, unlike viruses such as Covid-19, strep A bacteria do not survive long on surfaces. “This bacterium needs a human host. It doesn’t persist in the environment,” he said.
Instead, he called for calm and adherence to basic hygiene practices, stressing that infected children should stay home for at least 24 hours after beginning antibiotics to prevent further transmission.
Kathimerini
