Citizens should keep up with all safety measures and restrictions over the holiday season, to prevent facing a new coronavirus outbreak early in the new year, said Deputy Minister for Civil Protection & Crisis Management Nikos Hardalias in a live briefing held on Tuesday, int.ert.gr reports.
At the televised briefing, which has held in the place of this Friday’s (Christmas Day) regular briefing, the minister reiterated that up to two related families may gather at homes for the holidays, but up to nine people total. It is best to restrict socializing to the closest circle possible, he said. “This Christmas will be different for all of us, same as Easter was, during the first nationwide lockdown earlier in the year,” Hardalias noted.
The current daily curfew (22:00 to 05:00) will stay in effect throughout the holidays, with no exception for either Christmas and New Year’s Eve and Day proper. He also ruled out the traditional Christmas and New Year’s carols that children do door to door.
Regarding churches, Hardalias reiterated they will be open only on three specific days, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Epiphany Day (January 6), under strict rules: one person in every 15 square meters, each person keeping a 2-meter distance in all directions. Churches are only be allowed a maximum of 25 people inside, while metropolises may hold a maximum of 50 at any time on these three dates. (Earlier government announcements also banned loudspeakers during liturgies on those days and gathering at church courtyards.)
The current epidemiological profile in the region of Kozani – where seven-day tight lockdown restrictions were imposed last week, along with West Attica – shows 367 active cases of infection with a median age of 54 years. Almost 80 percent of infected people are showing Covid-19 symptoms, with 47.58 pct of these presenting primary ones, said the minister
Unlike Kozani, the three locked-down municipalities of West Attica now exhibit an improved endemiological profile: only 31.94 pct of infections there present primary Covid-19 symptoms, with 179 active cases currently at Aspropyrgos, 78 at Elefsina, and 25 at Mandra. This is the result of the local stricter measures, said Hardalias, which are in effect until Friday but could be extended if health experts decide it is necessary.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Ανώνυμος Βικιπαιδιστής
