Greece announces new anti-COVID measures

ATHENS

Greece on Monday announced new measures to fight the fast-spreading omicron coronavirus variant.

According to Health Minister Thanos Plevris, the measures were decided after recommendations by an expert committee that met earlier today, and will be in effect from Jan. 3 to Jan. 16.

Higher-protection FFP2 or KN95 masks will be mandatory on transport, supermarkets, and all areas where crowds are gathered, as well as at food venues, and if not possible, then double surgical masks will be required.

Food and entertainment places cannot stay open past 12 midnight, and music will be allowed only if measures are observed, otherwise it is banned.

Additionally, only seated people will be allowed, and tables must be distant from each other and should not sit more than six people.

For sports venues, they can only operate at 10% capacity.

Stricter rules also apply to visitors at elder care facilities, hospitals, and clinics. Visitors will only be allowed after a PCR test within the last 48 hours.

At workplaces, up to 50% of private and public sector staff will be able to work from home, and a rotating schedule should also be implemented in order to avoid overcrowded transportation.

On Monday Greece confirmed 9,284 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, the highest tally since the pandemic began, the National Public Health Organization said.

According to Athanasios Tsakris, a microbiologist who serves on the ministry’s expert committee, the new variant is dominant in the region of Attica, which includes the capital Athens.

Speaking on Skai radio on Monday, Tsakris said that the latest samples collected last week showed that 70% of the infections in the region were of the new omicron variant.

In total the country has confirmed 1,084,153 infections (daily change: +0.9%).

Another 66 deaths were also recorded in the last 24 hours, bringing the total of pandemic victims to 20,496.

ICUs continue to be of the edge with a total of 629 patients on ventilators. Of the total number, 533 (84.74%) are unvaccinated or partly vaccinated and 96 (15.26%) are fully vaccinated.