During the regular briefing on the progress of the pandemic and our protection measures against Covid19, Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias and Deputy Prime Minister Akis Skertos announced the positive steps towards a full return to normality.
From Friday 14 May, the day after tomorrow, it applies,
- Lift the county-to-county travel ban.
- Extension of the free circulation hours by at least 1 hour, i.e. until 24:00. This implies an extension of the opening hours of catering (it will stop half an hour before the ban).
- Abolition of SMS to 13033 for travel and 13032 for shopping.
- Abolition of click away and click in shop.
Moving from county to county
Travel from county to county in the mainland is liberalised, as is travel to islands. In both cases it is good to have a negative self-test or molecular test, not mandatory in the first case but necessary in the second. You are only entitled to be exempted from the test if you show a vaccination certificate at the check.
No more SMS and appointments in shops – extended opening hours
Stop SMS to 13033 and click away and click in shop methods for retailers.
However, it is not certain whether we will be able to go shopping in shops without an appointment from 17 May or a week later, from 24 May.
The opening hours will be extended by one hour, i.e. from 11:00 to 12:30 in the evening and therefore the opening hours in the catering sector will also be increased.
What will happen to tourism in Greece?
Tomorrow, Thursday 13 May, the Minister of Tourism, Harris Theocharis, will announce the direction in which tourism will move. According to the minister, tourists will enter Greece either with a negative 72-hour molecular test or with a vaccination certificate. Tourists must have had both doses of the vaccine and 14 days must have passed since the second dose was given. The negative test or vaccination certificate will be able to be posted on a digital platform.
Restart in culture too
Friday 14 May, museums open, based on the existing health protocol.
Friday 21 May, summer cinemas and outdoor cinema screenings start with 75% occupancy.
Friday 28 May, live shows and acrobatics in open-air venues for seated audience only, with a fixed 50% occupancy rate and a specific order
On Monday 17 May, day-care centres and nurseries will open and at the same time the possibility for practical and laboratory training in IEKs, as well as in colleges, will be restored, while face-to-face teaching in second-chance schools will be allowed again.
The opening of the gyms was not even discussed at the experts’ table and it seems that after a reassessment of the situation, they may be open again in June, as well as weddings and outdoor events.
According to a statement by the EODY today, the new cases are 2489 , 707 intubated and 70 deaths.
