ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece will lift some coronavirus restrictions on the hospitality sector after the recommendation of infectious disease experts as COVID-19 infections ease from recent highs, the country’s health minister said on Wednesday.
The advisory committee of infectious disease experts, which convened on Wednesday, recommended the lifting of curbs barring standing customers at bars and night entertainment establishments and the raising of attendance at sports venues to 50% of capacity.
It also recommended that school excursions resume and lowered a work-from-home requirement in the public and private sectors to 20%.
“The recommendation is accepted by the government. The new measures will apply from Feb. 19,” Health Minister Thanos Plevris said.
Health authorities reported 19,509 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday and 82 related deaths, bringing the country’s total number of infections since the first case was detected two years ago to 2.235 million and deaths to 25,001.
As the Omicron variant became dominant, authorities had initiated curbs requiring bars, nightclubs and restaurants to close at midnight and bar standing customers as well as music.
(Reporting by George Georgiopoulos; Editing by Mark Porter)
