Greece: tightening restrictive measures from January 3

Limiting the opening hours of entertainment establishments to 23:00 with music stopping, reducing the number of visitors in restaurants to 70% and other measures aimed at non-proliferation of the Omicron strain were announced today by the Greek authorities.

Frightened by the 200% increase in the number of those infected with the Omicron strain and on the basis of proposals from a committee of experts, the Greek authorities decided to introduce a de facto “soft lockdown” regime.

This was announced today by the Minister of Health Fanos Pleuris

Experts propose to close entertainment venues at 12 o’clock at night and entertainment while standing is prohibited (meaning dancing, etc.)

As for catering establishments, the proposal provides for either a reduction in capacity of up to 70%, or the operation of stores with 100% filling, but only at tables for six people and, of course, with the appropriate distance between the tables.

For stores, the implemented measures are considered sufficient, so there are no changes.

The experts also suggested:

an increase in the number of people working remotely by 50% (from today’s 20%, on average); providing only seating in entertainment centers, as well as restaurants with live music; change in the occupancy rate of nightclubs up to 70%; change in the occupancy rate of sports facilities up to 10% of the capacity, up to a maximum of 1000 people; extensive population tracking through testing; use for catering and hospital workers a double mask or a mask of the KH95 model of increased protection.

There is great concern about the increase in cases and the spread of the Omicron strain, according to the Minister of Health. On the positive news – almost 75% of cases are between the ages of 18-59, and only 6% are those over 60. Mr. Pleuris urged young people in the near future not to contact their parents, grandparents for reasons of protection the latter.

As for the education system, according to a statement from Education Minister Niki Kerameos, the government has no plans to return to distance learning, which was introduced in the previous lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, but that school holidays will be canceled.

According to EODU, as of December 27, the number of infected people in the last 24 hours amounted to 9284 people, 629 are under intubation, 66 people have died.

At the same time, the number of Omicron mutations recorded increased by 200%.

“Based on the samples tested in the laboratory, the number of Omicron varieties is about 70%. We are talking about molecular tests that have been tested and give this percentage, showing the rapid spread of the variant. Unfortunately, Omicron is spreading very quickly, as in all of Europe and around the world, ”said Athanasios Tsakris, professor of microbiology at the University of Athens.

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