As the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, announced earlier today (Thursday 29/10), the areas of Thessaloniki, Larissa and Rodopi are moving to "Level 4".
These areas will go into lockdown in the coming days.
Yesterday, 28 October, the National Public Health Organization confirmed 1,547 new coronavirus cases.
This morning huge queues of citizens on the beach of Thessaloniki were waiting for the rapid tests.
The Greek PM didn’t go into details but did announce that Thessaloniki, Rodopi and Larissa would also be placed in red Covid-19 status, which means that “most activities are suspended with the exception of retail and schools”.
The addition of the three areas come after two more regional units – Ioannina and Serres – moved into red risk level 4 on the risk-assessment map from Level 3 on Thursday.
Mitsotakis said the government would further enhance targeted restrictions without however closing down the market, which would have a tremendous impact on employment and the economy.
The Greek prime minister is set to present the new measures in an address to the nation on Friday amid soaring Covid-19 cases in the wider Athens region, Thessaloniki, Serres, Larissa, Ioannina and Rodopi region.
According to media reports, measures to be announced may include a 9pm or 10pm ban curfew on circulation and restricting restaurant/café/bar opening hours, prohibiting free movement outside each regional unit; restricting the circulation of older or high-risk individuals; and the use of mask countrywide at all times irrelevant of risk status.
“We are facing a second wave which is more aggressive than the one we experienced in March and April… we are probably two to three weeks behind what other European countries are experiencing today,” said Mitsotakis, adding that the rising Covid-19 infections were putting extreme pressure on the Greek health system.
The PM said the measures would initially last for one month.