New measures announced (22nd October) – Compulsory Mask Use and Curfews
In his speech to the Greek public on Thursday, 22nd October, PM Mitsotakis announced new measures after the high numbers of new coronavirus cases on Tuesday and Wednesday (865 and 882 cases).
As the Prime Minister underlined, the new measures will be implemented in the areas of levels 3 and 4, these are the “orange” and “red” areas (see map)
In Crete, the new measures apply only to Heraklion (explicitly said in flashiness.gr), which is at level 3. The other prefectures, Chania, Rethymno, Lassithi, comply with the measures that apply to the areas of level 1.
The newly announced measures include:
– the use of masks in all indoor and outdoor spaces all over the country
– nighttime curfews including traffic ban in areas which have been highly impacted by the virus.
The curfew also applies to Attica, Thessaloniki, Pella, Boeotia, Larissa, Serres, Achaia,
Zakynthos,Santorini, Heraklion, Thira, Karditsa, Kea-Kythnos, Lesvos, Mykonos, Samos,
and Trikala, which are all at level “orange.”
The curfew will run from 12:30 am to 5:00 am, and will be in effect in all areas that are considered at an “orange” or “red” risk level. This includes Kozani and Kastoria, which are “red” areas, and are already under strict measures that resemble local lockdowns.
Exempt from the night-time curfew are those who work at night, and anyone in an emergency situation.
The new measures come into force this Saturday morning at 6:00 am.
Recent data show that young people aged 18-39 have made up the largest percentage of new cases. PM Mitsotakis urged the Greek youth to take the virus seriously, to wear masks and to follow social distancing rules.
He also emphasized the importance of masks, stating that they are “the vaccine before we have a vaccine.”
As for masks in restaurants or cafés, PM Mitsotakis said: “From now on we will enter the café or restaurant with a mask, which we will remove only when we sit at the table. And of course the ban on standing in indoor rooms is still in force.”
Source: greekreporter.gr, news247.gr and flashiness.gr
Photo credit: flashnews.gr
