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British holidaymakers to Greece are being advised to take medical supplies with them due to reports of shortages amid the country’s debt crisis.
The call came in updated Foreign and Commonwealth travel advice ahead of today’s emergency summit of eurozone finance ministers after Greek voters rejected terms of an international bailout.
Banks in Greece are expected to remain closed today and tomorrow as the country stands on the brink of defaulting on its £213 billion debt.
The FCO said: “In recent days the media have reported a shortage of medical supplies in Greece.
“Make sure you have sufficient medical supplies – including prescription medicines – for the duration of your stay and any unforeseen delays, adequate travel insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment and repatriation.”
The FCO continues to advise that banking services, including credit card processing and the servicing of ATMs throughout the country, “could potentially become limited and short notice”.
Chancellor George Osborne called for one final go to sort out the Greek crisis following Sunday’s ‘no’ vote in the referendum, fearing the country could fall out of the euro within days. He said the situation risked “going from bad to worse”.
Osborne told MPs: “As the economic crisis in Greece persists, there are greater risks of shortages. In recent days, the media have reported a shortage of medical supplies in Greece. Therefore, I want to reiterate the Foreign Office’s advice that UK travellers take sufficient supplies, including prescription medicines, for the duration of their trip.”
The Greek Tourism Confederation said that, following the referendum announcement, it had recorded a 30% drop in last-minute bookings, the BBC reported.