Greek authorities seriously considering lockdown

The possibility of a lockdown appears ever more likely, as many Greeks insist on treating the present quarantine measures as a sort of vacation, crowding open spaces and exiting Athens en masse to go to their ancestral villages, just as the death toll on Sunday rose to 15 and the number of confirmed infections to 624.

Meetings at the Maximos Mansion, the Prime Minister's office, have been continuous Sunday and the idea of a lockdown seems to be gaining ground.

The cautionary tale of Italy and the irresponsibility of many of our fellow citizens are fueling speculation. As Nikos Hardalias, the deputy minister in charge of civil protection, told Kathimerini in an interview, the eventuality of a lockdown has already been contemplated.

Government spokesman Stelios Petsas also did not discount the possibility of a lockdown in an interview to Skai TV earlier Sunday.

"We will take any decisions deemed necessary. The Prime Minister is being briefed and will decide," Petsas said.

Asked specifically about making it mandatory for those over 65 to stay at home, Petsas said that many countries have adopted a range of restrictions but "that doesn't mean this is a blueprint that everyone must follow."

Petsas, not for the first time, asked citizens to follow authorities' restrictions and not to consider the imposed quarantine as a holiday season.