The expected increase in births due to the imposed lockdown was not realised in the registry offices of our country, the Secretary-General of Interior and Organisation of the Ministry of Interior Michalis Stavrianoudakis pointed out.

On the contrary, according to the data of the Ministry of Interior, births decreased by 6.5% in November and December 2020 compared to the corresponding months of 2019.

The same was observed for the months of January and February of 2021 where according to the data this downward trend continued. Specifically, in January 2021 we had 7,049 new births compared to the corresponding month of 2020 which was 7,778.

The picture was a little better in February, with births in 2020 amounting to 6,658 compared to those in 2021 which reached 6,553.

“Although the number of births has been steadily declining for several years, the decline has intensified nine months after the lockdown and under the pressure of the pandemic. This means that young people of childbearing age have been significantly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic both emotionally and financially, due to prolonged quarantine and consequently the inability for any family planning “, points out Mr. Stavrianoudakis.