Covid-19: Lockdown Gets Tighter for Five Greek Municipalities

Additional stringent lockdown measures, including a strict curfew, have been imposed on five municipalities in northern Greece to combat the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) throughout those areas, Greek Deputy Minister of Civil Protection and Crisis Management, Nikos Hardalias, said on Tuesday evening.

Residents of the municipalities of Kastoria, Orestida, Nestorio, Xanthi and Myki as of Tuesday, March 31, are forbidden of any movement outside their homes from 8pm to 8am every day until April 14.

The exceptions of leaving home to exercise outdoors or assist others in need have been suspended. Assistance to residents in need will be provided by their respective municipalities through the “Help at Home” programs.

Residents will still be able to walk their pets but only for 15 minutes.

The government has also imposed stricter measures on the super markets and farmers markets of those municipalities.

Earlier on Tuesday, the General Secretariat for Civil Protection declared the municipal unit of Mesopotamia in Kastoria in a state of emergency, due to the spread of the Covid-19 virus, saying that residents will have to self-quarantine for 14 days. The General Secretariat said that local police and fire department will ensure food and medical supplies during the quarantine.

Last week, the Echinos community in Thrace, northern Greece, was also declared in a state of emergency.

Greece is currently in a national lockdown. The coronavirus has so far infected 1,314 people and left 49 dead in the country.