Government to tweak restrictions to tackle lockdown fatigue

The Greek government is planning to announce some limited adjustments on the restrictions of citizens’ movement in the next couple of days to tackle lockdown fatigue, even as pressure on the country’s healthcare system from the rising number of hospitalizations keeps growing.

The country has been in various degrees of lockdown for more than four months and is now facing the third wave of the pandemic. 

According to sources, the government believes that, although the epidemiological data paint a grim picture, the sunnier weather allows people to remain outdoors for larger periods of time.

The most likely scenario is to push the weekend curfew to 9 p.m. from the current 7 p.m. and possibly also extend it on weekdays.

The government is also likely to open hair and beauty salons on Monday (March 22) and allow people to use their cars when going out for exercise.

There is also a suggestion that outdoor archaeological sites could reopen, although the proposal is less likely to gather pace.

A national committee of experts advising the government on the pandemic will hold its regular meeting on Friday to examine those proposals.

On Wednesday, health authorities reported a record number of daily coronavirus infections, 3,465, and a record number of patients on ventilators, 630, while the rate of positive tests was 5.5% – on a par with recent days.

Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias on Wednesday called on pathologists, general practitioners, lung specialists and anesthesiologists in the private sector to volunteer their services to the overburdened National Health System hospitals.