ATHENS – Another worried voice has been added to a small chorus that Greece may face a third wave of COVID-19 after the Christmas period ends, after other predictions rolling lockdowns may continue into the spring of 2021.

Matina Pagoni, President of the Athens and Piraeus hospital doctors’ association (EINAP) told SKAI radio it could be even worse than the second wave that even a second lockdown hasn't been able to control, cases and deaths spiraling and hospital Intensive Care Units (ICU's) overwhelmed.

“We are dealing with a big number of cases and more than 3,000  have been hospitalized, while the numbers of intubated patients and casualties are constantly rising,” Pagoni said, referring to the daily count.

“The third wave will come after Christmas and it could be even more difficult, and we are still arguing about why people should not celebrate Christmas Eve together,” she said.

That was in reference to people who wouldn't wear masks or stay a safe social distance or went out partying, causing the Coronavirus to spread out of control and bring a second closure of non-essential businesses.

Her comments came after Nikos Kapravelos, head of ICU's at the Papanikolaou hospital in Thessaloniki told SKAI TV that, “The situation is desperate, the ICUs are full,” as Development and Investments Minister Adonis Georgiadis visited.

“When Mr. Georgiadis opens up the economy, because you can't do anything else, we won't stop breathing, I'm afraid that the next wave (of the pandemic) will come in January or February,” he said.

“All ages are now stricken (by the virus),” Kapravelos added, the average of those infected falling fast after young people especially ignored health protocols and kept partying and going to nightclubs that the government allowed to stay open.

Prime Minister and New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis admitted he was too slow in imposing the second lockdown – finally doing so after Thessaloniki was overtaken by the rampaging virus.

He had been trying to balance saving lives against preventing a crash of the economy that was already teetering after a first lockdown that began in March and lasted 10 weeks closed many businesses and left others on the edge.