The shutdown of retail stores, including hair salons, bookstores and nail salons will be extended for another week to Monday, December 11, Deputy Civil Protection Minister for Crisis Management Nikos Hardalias said on Friday during a live coronavirus-related briefing.

The government had imposed tougher week-long restrictions ahead of opening primary schools this week, including suspending store pick-ups of online purchases ("click-away").

Hardalias said that church services will be held without the presence of the faithful, while individuals may go to church to pray by keeping established measures (including wearing masks and observing social distancing), while funerals may only include a maximum of 9 people, all of whom must be first-degree relatives.

In addition, fishing and hunting is still banned, visits to civil services is limited to emergency ones and only after appointment, while courts will continue to operate but on a very limited basis.

Sports games

When Super League 2 and Volley League games start on the weekend of January 16-17, there will be no public attendance of games, the minister said, following Super League 1 restrictions.

In addition, all visitors to Greece through January 21, from all countries including the EU's, are obliged to self-isolate at homes or housing facilities for seven days. The requirement to present a coronavirus-free test carried out at most 72 hours before arriving in Greece still stands. 

UK arrivals to Greece

Passengers of flights from abroad will be randomly tested with a rapid test, except for visitors from the United Kingdom, who will all submit to being tested on arrival in Greece. Visitors from the UK, in particular, must submit to a new PCR test when they complete the seven-day isolation in order to be allowed to leave the facility they are at. 

All passengers arriving in Greece from abroad must complete the PLF form.

Schools Jan. 11

In terms of schools, Hardalias reiterated that pre-kingergarten, kindergartens, primary schools and special needs schools of all levels will open on Monday, January 11. All but the special needs schools will also open in areas under stricter lockdown measures, he said.

More hospital admissions after Christmas

Admissions to hospitals in Attica Region increased 20%-25% as of December 25, University of Athens infectious diseases professor Vana Papaevangelou said at the live briefing.

In addition, there was a rise in infections for the 25-35 age group, and doctors of the coronavirus experts committee are closely following the trend. 

"We must correct the expected rise in the virus' dispersion over the holidays in any way possible," she stressed. "This story will continue for long. The pandemic is here and will continue to impact our lives for many months ahead," the expert said.

ICUs still struggling

Infectious diseases professor and fellow committee-member Gkikas Magiorkinis said at the briefing that overall, the number of active cases in Greece is dropping and the pressure on the health system appears to be easing gradually.

The situation in intensive care units (ICUs), however, remains difficult. In the past 10 days in particular, the decongestion at hospitals has slowed down.

ICUs in Greece 60 pct full

Intensive Care Units (ICUs) dedicated to coronavirus patients are over half full in Greece, Alternate Health Minister Vassilis Kontozamanis said during the briefing.

In Attica, they are 60 percent full and in Thessaloniki 69 pct, while in Greece overall they are 60 pct full, he said.

He asserted that nobody who needs an ICU bed is left out, and said that in previous years there were 40 or 50 patients on a daily basis waiting for admission to them.

The bolstering of the National Health System with medical staff and equipment continues, he said.

See also:

Greece confirms 721 new coronavirus cases, 49 deaths on Friday; 386 currently in ICUs