ATHENS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Greece will further extend the current nationwide lockdown to Jan. 11 in order to address the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, Greek government spokesperson Stelios Petsas announced on Saturday.
The second lockdown in Greece amidst the pandemic started on Nov. 7 and was initially scheduled to end on Nov. 30. However, as the numbers of new infections, deaths, intubated and the pressure on the national healthcare system remained high, it was first extended to Dec. 7 and then Dec. 14 and Jan. 7.
In addition, a few restrictions which had been relaxed ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays are back in full force as of Sunday, the spokesperson said in Saturday's statement which was broadcast on Greek national broadcaster ERT.
Under the stricter lockdown rules, retail shopping by the click-away system (in-person pickup) is suspended and all retail shops will be closed again.
Bookshops and hairdressers' salons which had also opened before the holidays, will remain shut, as well as churches and other places of worship. The night curfew as of Jan. 3 applies from 21:00 p.m. (instead of 22:00 p.m.) until 5:00 a.m.
The aim of these stricter measures, as Petsas said, is to reach the best possible epidemiological standards in the coming days to allow for schools to reopen on Jan. 11 and for the gradual restart of the economy again.
"New cases are still high and the pressure on the National Health System continues. Our hospitals continue to treat a large number of patients. Unfortunately, about 2,500 fellow citizens spent Christmas in COVID beds, and more than 400 are still in intensive care units (ICUs)," he said.
"It is up to us to succeed. And we will do it with unity, responsibility, and discipline. Altogether," he added, urging for no complacency and a little more patience as hope is here with the start of mass vaccinations.
Greek citizens are still allowed to leave their homes for work or health reasons, to assist a person in need, exercise, walk a pet, shop for necessities, or attend a funeral by notifying authorities by SMS or bearing a signed declaration. Restrictions in traveling outside of home prefectures will remain in force.
On Friday the National Public Health Organization (EODY) announced 597 new confirmed cases within 24 hours, bringing the total infections to 139,447 since Feb. 26, 2020, when the first case was registered in Greece.
Furthermore, 43 patients died since Thursday which brings the total death toll to 4,881, and 429 were currently intubated.
As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in Greece and some other countries with the already-authorized coronavirus vaccines.
Meanwhile, 232 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 60 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain and the United States, according to information released by the World Health Organization on Dec. 29. Enditem
