Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Saturday a package of measures to contain the rapid speed of the coronavirus in the country. The so-called “action plan” places several regional units into partial lockdown that will go into force at 06:00 a.m. Tuesday, 3. November 2020 and will be valid for one month. More restrictions, such as the use of mask in- and outdoors, are imposed also to regional units with less risk. Among others, the four Tier system of regions at risk is reduced to 2.
In his televised message to the nation, Mitsotakis spoke of an “aggressive increase of infections” threatening to “shake the health system.”
“It is the time for political decisions to avoid the worst,” Mitsotakis said and stressed that Greece is among the countries in Europe with the less infections.”
Regarding the reduced 4-Tier zones, Mitsotakis said that
Tier 1 is now all regional units with relatively few infections and that were marked as “green” and “yellow”
Tier 2 are regional units marked until now as “orange” and “red.” and that is the whole of northern Greece and Attica.
The Prime Minister said that additional measures are imposed also in Tier 1 regional units.
The New Measures
Tier 1
Mandatory use of mask in- and outdoors
Curfew 12:00 midnight until 05:00 a.m.
50% teleworking in private and public sector
Full tele-education at universities
No gatherings
Tier 2
Partiel Lockdown with Restrictions as in Tier 1 plus:
Suspension of catering and dining out, closed restaurants, cafes, bars etc. Exception: only take away and delivery
Suspension of operations of entertainment, culture and sports such as gyms, museums, cinemas, theaters, bars, cafes
Open remain:
retail stores, production units and schools
hotels and hairdressers’
Travel from one regional unit to another is permitted.
“In contrast to spring [lockdown] movements outside regional units are not banned,” Mitsotakis said.
Late on Saturday, the Civil Protection issued the new two-tier map where the new restrictions will be implemented. The Map is here.
Note: No need for sms to leave home, not even for emergencies during the night curfew. However, workers, self-employed need to fill up a form for movement during the night curfew.
The Prime Minister underlined that “a general lockdown is the ultimate step that would hurt the economy and the society, undermining the country’s next day in several sectors.
The Civil Protection is expected to give more information on the regional units under partial lockdown.
Following Mitsotaki’s announcement, Finance Minister Christos Staikouras announced several measures to financially support businesses and workers affected by the new restrictions.
Among them is the “suspension of work contracts” and the state aid of 534 euros per month for workers. Businesses that close with order of the government proceed with “enforced suspension of work contracts,” while the November payment payment of Value Added Tax is suspended until 30. April 2021. More support measures here in Greek.
The number of coronavirus infections in the month of October (1-30) skyrocketed to 18, 749, while they were 18,475 from the outbreak in late February until September 30. An explosion of daily case was recorded in the second half of October: 508 on Oct 16 and 1,690 on Oct 30.
The pressure at the health system is immense as the number of intubated Covid19 patients reached 128 on Friday.
PS No, the Prime Minister did not mention that churches will remain open but they do as he did not say that they will close. Neither did he announce any measures to strengthen the health system, the public transport means or create smaller classes in schools, where students are still waiting for the proper size for masks, two months after the start of the new school year.
As he often said in the past: It is up to personal responsibility to avoid contamination with the virus…
How crazy can this get!? I live in a remote area with about 5 inhabitants per square KM. Do they really want me to wear a mask when I walk my dog in the olive groves?