National holiday in the days of the pandemic

A crew member checks the body temperature of travelers boarding a ship in the port of Piraeus Friday, as Greeks set off for Saturday’s August 15 national holiday, the traditional peak in terms of people mobility in the summer. Trips to the Greek islands are carried out with all the precautionary measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. August 15, which celebrates the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, is considered a kind of summer Easter for Greeks. Churches and monasteries have been urged to stick to the strict health guidelines. Meanwhile, a temporary change of weather is forecast in the late afternoon in northern Greece with rain and storms. [Alexandros Vlachos/EPA]