Attica Stays in Strict Lockdown for Another Week

Kotzia Square in central Athens. Photo: Y. Skoulas

Strict lockdown measures will continue in Athens and the surrounding Attica region for one more week, following the recommendations of Greece’s committee of health experts, Civil Protection Deputy Minister Nikos Hardalias said on Friday.

Speaking during the Covid-19 media briefing and following and announcement made by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Hardalias said the strict lockdown in Attica will remain in place until Monday, March 8, at 6am.

Attica is currently in “dark red” (very high-risk) status on the country’s color-coded risk-assessment map following a continuous rise in coronavirus cases. The region has been in a strict lockdown since February 11.

Residents in “dark red” areas are obliged to follow strict lockdown measures that include an evening/night curfew from 6 pm to 5am (only on weekends for Attica) while all schools, retail stores and hairdressers are closed.

Other areas in Greece that are currently in “dark red” (very high-risk) status and under strict lockdown include the island of Kalymnos, the Municipality of Kordelios-Evosmos (Thessaloniki regional unit), the regional unit of Achaia (northwestern Peloponnese), the regional unit of Arcadia (central Peloponnese) and the regional unit of Evia (not Skyros island).

‘High-risk areas’

Lefkada, Greece.

Moreover, the deputy minister said that the committee of health experts decided to place the following areas in “red” (high-risk) status due to a rise in Covid-19 cases: the island of Lefkada (except the Municipality of Meganisos), Thesprotia, the island of Syros, the island of Samos, Corinth, Heraklion (Crete), the Municipality of Lokron and the Municipality of Amphilochia.

Restrictions in “red” areas include an evening/night curfew from 6 pm to 5am, high school students continuing their lessons via tele-education and shopping is only allowed by the “click-away” method (consumers must make their orders online or by phone and can pick up their purchases outside of stores). Customers are allowed to enter some stores (clothing, shoe stores and bookstores) through the “click in shop” method (by appointments). Hairdressers, barbershops, beauty salons and vehicle inspection services (KTEO) in “red” areas can service customers only by appointment.

Other areas in “red” status include Kefalonia, the regional unit of Ilia (except Andritsaina), Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, Rethymno (Crete), Thassos and the Municipality of Agia (Larissa).

Haradlias also informed that the island of Mykonos has now entered “orange” status from “dark red” and will see eased restrictions, which include the night curfew returning to 9pm-5am and consumers allowed to shop in stores (previous rules apply).

The deputy minister also warned the residents of Larissa and Volos that infections are on the rise in both areas and underlined the importance of following the health measures. “The cooperation of all is necessary in order to avoid a further escalation of infections and not to need to take additional measures,” he stressed.

It is reminded that the common measures in force for citizens in areas of all three color-coded levels include: mandatory mask wearing in all indoor and outdoor public spaces, outside movement is allowed only for six specific reasons and by sending an SMS to the five-digit mobile phone service 13033 and movement between Greek prefectures (domestic travel) continues to be banned (except for health and work reasons).

Further information (in Greek) on the restrictive measures in ‘orange’, ‘red’ and ‘dark red’ areas, press here. The map is updated every week.

Greek health authorities on Friday announced 1,790 new coronavirus cases and 29 deaths. Since the start of the pandemic, the total number of cases in the country has reached 188,201. The Covid-19 death toll in Greece is 6,439.