Here is a summary of the measures as announced by the Minister of Health Mr. Constantinos Ioannou just now and include a 3-week lockdown with the resumption of the SMS system for movement of citizens.
We will be updating you once the full decree has been issued by the Ministry of Health.
The new measures will take effect from Sunday, January 10, 2020, at 0500 in the morning until January 31 at midnight.
The measures include the following:
- Curfew from 9 pm to 5 am the next day.
- Prohibition of gatherings, public or social events (regardless of private or public space, internal or external).
- Prohibition of gatherings in open public places, such as squares, dams, picnic areas, marinas, etc., except for physical sports purposes in parks, linear parks and beaches, provided that they do not exceed two people.
- Text messaging only up to two text messages per day per person. The reasons for movement will be provided in detail immediately upon completion of the conference.
- Mandatory teleworking in the public and wider public sector and the Local Government with the exception of the Essential Services, which are included in the Decree that will be issued within the day.
- The religious activities in the holy temples / places of religious worship is performed without the presence of believers. Believers can come to the premises only for individual prayer, provided that the observance of health protocols will be ensured. Religious ceremonies weddings / baptisms / funerals are held with a maximum number of 10 people.
- Businesses that do not suspend their operations include, but are not limited to, construction sites and related companies / industries, manufacturing, beverage and food retailers and other retailers to be designated by the Ministry of Labor.
- Private companies / services that remain in operation will promote teleworking, with regulation for simultaneous physical presence of 15% of their staff, with a maximum number of employees that can be physically present at 20 people per business premise.
- Businesses that are suspending their operations include: barbershops and hairdressers, beauty salons, tattoo parlors, theaters, cinemas, auditoriums, outdoor and outdoor amphitheaters, restaurants and nightclubs, shopping malls dance, other relevant schools.
- Education at all levels will be provided through distance education, in accordance with the guidelines sent to the schools by the Ministry of Education.
- Nurseries, nursery/kindergartens and pre-primary and special education remain in operation.
- The professional championships of A ‘Category will be continued , without the presence of spectators. All other tournaments, as well as sports activities for people under 18, are suspended. The championships of Categories B ‘and C’ will be able to train with relevant arrangements.
Exceptional travel will be allowed twice a day by texting 8998 for the cases to be clarified. Persons over the age of 65 may use Form B (ΕΝΤΥΠΟ Β) for their exceptional travel.
It is clarified that for the purposes of going to and from work for work purposes the sending of SMS is not required, but the employee must present Form A for employee movement which we have attached and can also be accessed HERE, signed by his employer.
An FAQ document has been issued by the Ministry of Health which we have attached. It is currently available in Greek only. Once we translate this under an unofficial capacity we will issue.
The original and full speech of the Minister can be found here in Greek.