Responding to increased coronavirus infections, the Greek government has ordered broad restrictions for many island and mainland tourist destinations.
On Sunday 203 new COVID-19 infections were reported in Greece, the highest daily increase since the pandemic began.
Now all tavernas, bars and discos in many regions, including the islands Crete, Santorini, Mykonos Corfu, Kos, Rhodes, Zakynthos and the towns Katerini, Larissa, Thessaloniki, Volos and the Chalkidiki peninsula, have to shut shop from midnight to 7 am In some of these places holidaymakers normally enjoy themselves until the early hours.
The restrictions for now last until 23 August, said government spokeswoman, Aristotelia Peloni, on television on Monday. From 17 August all who enter Greece on land, regardless from where and including Greeks, have to present a negative Corona test certificate, which can’t be older than 72 hours.
READ MORE: 262 COVID-19 cases and two deaths in Greece, highest count since pandemic began in the country
“We’ve coped well so far and have to keep going this way,” said Greek Deputy Minister for Civil Protection Nikos Chardalias on state television.
On Monday the German foreign office in Berlin updated its travel advisory for Greece accordingly.
Greece and its islands rank with the most popular holiday destinations of the Germans. A business statistics collection service reported on 27 July that in the past 12 months around 3.21 Germans upwards from age 14 vacationed in Greece.
Greece is one of the European countries least hit by the pandemic, because its authorities continue to respond quickly to the comparably small numbers of new infections.
Greece has set itself a target of 8 million tourists for this year.
