No plan to tighten Covid-related restrictions in Thessaloniki, says minister

The Greek government has no immediate plan to further tighten restrictions related to the pandemic in Thessaloniki, Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias said on Thursday, during a meeting with local officials in the city.

Greece’s second biggest city has seen a rise in infections in recent days.

“There is no panicking…there is no question of tightening measures, there is a question of strict observance of the existing ones,” he said.

Speaking at the same meeting, Citizens' Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis said the government wants to a repeat of the major outbreak in Thessaloniki similar to the one in November 2020, when a surge in coronavirus infections pushed the hospital system to its limits.

The minister said there is an “increase” of infections in the city, not a an “outbreak” and the meeting in Thessaloniki aimed at preventing it.