The Greek government on Friday announced an easing of restrictions imposed to curb exposure to the Covid-19 virus, including allowing consumers to pick-up ordered goods from retailers, with a partial nationwide lockdown now into a fifth week.
The development essentially allows retailers to reopen with a so-called “click away” option, i.e. phone or Internet orders then picked up at the store. Beyond the need to reopen the retail sector ahead of Christmas and New Year’s – ordered closed during the lockdown – parcel delivery firms in Greece have been swamped by the volume of orders.
The latest change for retail stores extends to Jan. 7, 2021. Super markets, other food stores, pharmacies and pet shops, among others, have remained open.
Transactions will be conducted only with credit and debit cards, precluding cash purchases.
Additionally, beauty salons and barber shops will also reopen on Monday, Dec. 14, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and with strict precautions in place, i.e. face masks and a limited number of clients served at a specific time via scheduled appointments.
In terms of places of worship in the predominately Orthodox Christian nation, cathedrals will open to worshippers on Christmas Day and on the Epiphany (Jan. 6), with a ceiling of nine to 24 people, depending the size of the church. The Church of Greece’s Archdiocese of Athens and Metropolises around the country will bear the responsibility for complying with public health precautions and restrictions during the holding of services.
Additionally, the annual and very popular “Blessing of the Waters” service on Jan. 6 will not be conducted in public.
