ATHENS Nov 05,2020: Greece ordered a nationwide lockdown on Thursday for three weeks to help contain a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, its second this year after a sharp increase in infections this week.
“I’ve chosen to take drastic measures sooner rather than later,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.
Although having previously said a nationwide lockdown was a last option, Mitsotakis said he was forced to act after a spike in cases in the past five days, saying that without a lockdown the pressure on the healthcare system would be “unbearable”.
Under the new countrywide restrictions to take effect from Saturday, retail businesses will be shut with the exception of supermarkets and pharmacies. Greeks will need a permit to venture outdoors at allocated times.
Primary schools will stay open, but high schools will shut.
The country has reported fewer cases than most in Europe, mainly due to an early nationwide lockdown it imposed when the pandemic broke out in February. It started unwinding those restrictions in May.
