Tighter SMS Controls

The rules governing the system of applying for permission to leave home during the lockdown by sending a coded SMS to the 13033 hotline become stricter tomorrow to contain the rising transmission rates. The rules also apply to Hydra.

As of 6 a.m. on Thursday, trips to the supermarket (Code 2) or the bank (Code 3) will have to be restricted to the municipality of residence or within a 2-kilometre radius from home.

Leaving the house using the oft-abused Code 6, which is intended for personal exercise or walking a pet, will have to be on foot (and people can no longer use their car or any other form of transportation) to leave home for this purpose.

Inspections will be tightened for violations of Code 4, (helping someone in need like an elderly relative) and stricter enforcement of the rules allowing workers to travel to and from their place of employment.

One measure is being loosened. The weekend curfew is extended for an extra hour, so now from 19:00. to 05:00 the next day.

2,702 new cases of CoVid infection were reported today, a new record for 2021. (EODY) also reported 40 new deaths over the last 24 hours. The total number of deaths in Greece has reached 6,597. Attica, Greece's most populous region, remains at the pandemic's epicentre with 1,269 new cases today. The healthcare system in the region is also under the most strain.

At the beginning of the week, authorities also extended the hard lockdown to the 15th of March 2021. Given the current escalation of new cases and deaths, it will most likely be further extended.

The new measures were announced at a press briefing on Wednesday by Deputy Minister for Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias following the daily bulletin on the course of the pandemic, which showed a spike in new cases, hospital admissions, intubations, and deaths.