Nikos Hardalias

Amid a resurgence of the coronavirus in Attica, the next 48 hours are seen as decisive as the rate of infections, hospital admissions and intubations will determine whether the country is already in the grip of a third wave, necessitating the immediate implementation of new, tougher measures to shield the National Health System from further stresses.

A sudden rise in coronavirus infections in Attica this past week prompted the government to impose stricter measures across the board in the largest region of the country as of Saturday, focused mainly on the market and on delaying the return of grades 10-12 to classrooms.

Greece's government has extended nationwide lockdown measures indefinitely but says retail stores and malls will reopen Monday with strict entrance limits.

Civil protection chief Nikos Hardalias said Friday that a nightly curfew, domestic travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders will all remain in effect after being first imposed in early November.

Retail stores and hair salons will reopen everywhere in Greece on Monday expect in areas with a high viral load, where the shops will operate using the click-and-collect model, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in Parliament on Friday.

He said the government received a positive recommendation on the issue from the committee of experts advising it on the pandemic.

A man walks in the Faliro coastal zone, in Athens, Friday. Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias announced the extension of the existing lockdown for another week, with the sole exception of elementary and special schools, which open on Monday.

Greece will remain on lockdown until Monday, January 18, Deputy Minister for Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias announced Friday.

The only change is the opening of kindergartens, nurseries and elementary schools on Jan. 11.

This means retail stores and hairdressers stay closed.

The municipality of Aliartos-Thespies in the region of Viotia will enter a stricter lockdown as of Wednesday, due to an increased number of coronavirus infections, Greek authorities said on Tuesday.

Deputy Minister for Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias said the measures will apply until January 15.

Deputy Minister for Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias announced Monday additional restrictions for the small town of Sperchiada in the region of Fthiotida, central Greece, after health authorities detected an increased number of coronavirus cases.

The measures will apply for 10 days, from January 5 to 6 a.m. on January 14.

The "Coronavirus pandemic in Greece in 2020" was the most popular entry in the Greek-language pages of Wikipedia last year, according to data presented yesterday by the Open Technologies Alliance (EELLAK).

Authorities have extended a hard lockdown on the western Athens municipalities of Elefsina and Aspropyrgos until Wednesday, January 6, at 6 a.m., Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias told a press briefing on Tuesday, due to their heavy epidemiological burden.