Greece will relax some lockdown restrictions on Monday, allowing retail shops and hair salons reopen for the first time in more than two months after signs that pressure on the public health system from COVID-19 is easing.
Greece has already taken its first steps at relaxing a second lockdown imposed in November
Development Minister Adonis Georgiadis said that from Monday shops could re-open. However, customers must wear masks and no more than four shoppers would be allowed per 100 square metres of floor space.
Health authorities reported 610 new cases on Friday and 34 related deaths, bringing the total of COVID-19 infections since the first case was detected in February to 147,860 and total deaths to 5,421.
Primary schools and kindergartens reopened this week, but high school lessons are being held online.
The seven-day rolling average of new deaths per 100,000 population in Greece was at 0.34 on Jan. 13, down from 0.94 in early December. The figure is currently at 0.77 in the European Union and 1.01 in the United States, according to data collated from national health agencies.
Greece has thrived better than many other European countries, despite its struggling health services, badly weakened by financial crisis years.
