Greece to ground all flights in bid to contain Covid-19

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to announce the suspension of all passenger flights to and from Greece on Thursday in a televised address expected later in the afternoon, as the government ramps up measures to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.

According to information obtained by Kathimerini, the suspension will take effect on Sunday night (March 22).

In the same address, Mitsotakis is expected to issue a stern warning to citizens to comply by the measures already announced by the government.

He is also expected to comment on the European Central Bank’s (ECB) decision to include Greek government bonds in an emergency assets purchases program, aimed at stopping a pandemic-induced financial rout.

The new public address was deemed necessary ahead of the weekend to prevent Greeks from easing on the restrictive quarantine measures.