Greece entered the new year with the government announcing a one-week strict lockdown beginning tomorrow, Sunday, January 3 for one week.

“The cases still remain at high levels and pressure on the national health system persists; our hospitals continue to treat a large number of patients,” said government spokesman Stelios Petsas.

“We must do what we can to improve the epidemiological situation in the country, so that we can gradually return to a form of normalcy, and first of all to enable our children to return to schools.”

All shops that opened up during the Christmas holiday period and used curbside pick-up services will be closed.

All churches must also close and will be prohibited from conducting Epiphany services, which include the blessing of the waters and throwing a cross into the water.

A strict nighttime curfew will also be tightened, with movement of citizens restricted from 9pm to 5am.

“Our hospitals continue to treat a large number of patients. Unfortunately, about 2,500 of our fellow citizens spent Christmas in Covid beds, while more than 400 are still in intensive care units… From tomorrow, therefore, and for a week, we have to make another effort. It is worth doing so, as a precaution… So we stay home again,” Petsas said.

Greek citizens are still allowed to leave their homes for work or health reasons, to assist a person in need, exercise, walk a pet, shop for necessities, or attend a funeral by notifying authorities by SMS or bearing a signed declaration. Restrictions in traveling outside of home prefectures will remain in force.

Greek health authorities on Friday announced 597 new coronavirus cases and 43 deaths. Since the start of the pandemic, the total number of cases in the country has reached 139,447. The Covid-19 death toll in Greece is 4,881.