ATHENS – Repeated barrages of criticism from the major opposition SYRIZA that New Democracy has failed to properly deal with the still-surging second wave of COVID-19 isn't being bought by voters.

The Conservatives lead has even grown slightly over previous surveys with a new poll showing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' party has a 16-point lead, 40-24 percent, over the Leftists of former premier Alexis Tsipras.

He has relentlessly pounded Mitsotakis about the pandemic and for the sagging economy that, before the Coronavirus hit, was on the verge of a faster recovery from a near-decade long crisis bringing harsh austerity measures

The poll by Pulse for SKAI TV showed New Democracy outpacing SYRIZA across the board in a range of issues, Tsipras' tactic of assaults falling short and failing to make a dent despite Mitsotakis admitting he waited too long to bring a second lockdown.

All other parties in Parliament were politically irrelevant and essentially just taking up space, with no ability to make an impact on public policy, leaving the two heavyweight parties to slug it out for supremacy.

Way back in third with only 7 percent was the center-left Movement for Change (KINAL) that's led by former stalwarts of the now defunct PASOK Socialists who fell out of favor for backing austerity to serve a previous New Democracy government.

Fourth in their usual place that hasn't changed for decades was the KKE Communists, with 6 percent, followed by the ultra-nationalist Greek Solution at 4.5 percent and the leftist MeRA25 of former SYRIZA finance chief Yanis Varourakis at 3 percent.

The nationwide poll was conducted by phone between Dec.12-16, said Kathimerini and also showed New Democracy favored by a margin of 49-18 percent as to who could better modernize and digitize state services for users.

The Conservatives similarly held a 44-23 percent edge as being better able to deal with the pandemic, 41-23 percent in handling the economy, 40-23 percent in dealing with provocative Turkey and 40-21 percent in coping with refugees and migrants.