Greece to consider lifting lockdown from May

Greece’s Health Ministry spokesperson infectious diseases professor Sotiris Tsiodras on Tuesday said that a plan for the incremental lifting of measures is likely to be announced at the end of April or the beginning of May, but at the moment “we remain vigilant,” he noted.

Professor Tsiodras revealed the plan during the Government’s daily televised press briefing to update the public on current progress and measures, adding that a return to normalcy must be cautious, gradual and controlled.

He emphasised that despite seeing the virus’ spread in Greece currently contained and the numbers of new cases and of those who are seriously ill from the virus also in decline, an improvised and hasty lifting of restrictions would only lead to mass dispersal. “We hope these figures will be maintained,” he added.

When asked by Greek news agency ANA what the decisive point will be for lifting measures, Tsiodras said that the main numerical indicator is the reduction of contagion in the general population. This, however, relates to mass immunity, on which there is no actionable data yet either in Greece or anywhere else; on this, he said that the low numbers of Covid-19 infections in Greece “probably translate to low mass immunity.”

During the same briefing Greece’s Civil Protection Deputy Minister for Crisis Management Nikos Hardalias reiterated that Greek Easter Week is “the most critical of all” in terms of the coronavirus pandemic.

“This week will determine whether restrictive measures will need to remain,” Hardalias said, speaking after epidemiologist Sotiris Tsiodras and urging the public to maintain the lockdown directives with caution and determination, ahead of Greek Orthodox Easter on April 19. Referring to one of the most popular times of the year to celebrate, especially outdoors, the minister cautioned, “We will not go to relatives’ homes, nor will the entire neighbourhood gather on rooftops or at apartment building entrances – it is extremely dangerous.”

He also noted that cemeteries would remain shut on Good Friday, a day when family members traditionally pay their respects to the dead.