Plans to open economic activities on March 29 expected to be shelved

Plans for a substantial reopening of economic activities, such as retail on March 29 and that of schools, are expected to be shelved and reconsidered when the number of coronavirus cases stabilize and start to decline, according to government sources on Monday.

Echoing the same sentiment, Alkiviadis Vatopoulos, professor of microbiology at the University of West Attica, estimated that it is very difficult for retail to open on March 29 if new reported cases are still exceeding 2,000.

“Any opening has its risks,” he told Skai TV on Monday, adding however that the first tentative opening of hairdressers was the right thing as it offers society some respite and raises morale somewhat. Government sources said that there are no stricter measures that the state can take and that it is now up to members of the public to comply with the existing restrictions.

Any further decisions are expected by the end of the week when the data will be evaluated.