December 8, 2020
2 mins read

Greece Extends Lock Down Restrictions

Greece will extend some of the current nationwide lockdown restrictions to January 7, 2021, in order to control the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, it was announced here.

The new lockdown in Greece started on November 7 and was initially scheduled to end on November 30, but in light of the surging case numbers, it was first extended to December 7 and then to December 14.

Shops selling seasonal decorations opened on Monday and hairdressers and retail shops will gradually reopen in the coming days, government spokesperson Stelios Petsas told a regular press briefing outlining a roadmap to a “safe return to normality”, Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.

Citizens will still have to inform the authorities via SMS or in writing when leaving their homes.

Schools, courts, sports venues, hospitality and entertainment venues will remain closed until Jan. 7.

“We are not content with the pace the number of new infections is decreasing,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an interview broadcast on Monday on local Alpha TV, warning people against complacency.

A mass vaccination campaign is scheduled to begin early next year, he said, and the economy will also gradually restart, but entertainment venues may not reopen before May, he noted.

The government will decide in the coming days whether to relax the 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew during the upcoming holidays, Petsas said.

Family gatherings will continue to be limited to nine people, and the current travel restrictions will also remain in force, he said.

Those returning to Greece from abroad between December 18 and January 7 will be required to present a negative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test and be subjected to a rapid test upon entry, and quarantine for ten days.

On Monday the Hellenic National Public Health Organization (EODY) announced 1,251 new Covid-19 cases within 24 hours, bringing the total confirmed infections to 116,721 since February 26, when the first case was registered in Greece.

Furthermore, 89 patients have died since Sunday, which brings the total number of fatalities to 3,092. Six hundred people are currently intubated.

As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, countries including France, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are racing to find a vaccine.

According to the website of the World Health Organization, as of November 26, there were 213 Covid-19 candidate vaccines being developed worldwide, and 49 of them were in clinical trials.

Also Read-IOC bans Lukashenko from Tokyo 2020

Previous Story

Iran rejects ‘rumours’ on Khamenei’s health

Next Story

Romanian PM steps down

Latest from -Top News

Taiwan Mulls Chip Curbs on South Africa

Although Taiwan is not a major chip supplier to South Africa, it plays a dominant role in global semiconductor production, and even limited restrictions may serve as a diplomatic warning. Taiwan’s Ministry

Bangladesh, US Begin Tariff Talks Round 3

Bangladesh has already signed a deal to purchase 700,000 tonnes of wheat annually from the US. The third round of Bangladesh-US talks on tariff issues officially began at 2:00 pm (US local

Tyrants Call The Shots in Bangladesh

The carnage at Gopalganj shows Bangladesh’s post-Hasina descent into fear …writes Monir Islam Exactly one year ago, on July 16, 2024, six young lives were lost in Bangladesh during a police crackdown

Pakistan’s vanishing heritage

Historic buildings crumble amid builder mafia’s relentless pursuit … writes Dr Sakariya Kareem Pakistan’s architectural and cultural legacy is facing an unprecedented crisis. Across major cities and small towns alike, historic buildings—many
Go toTop