Greece reopens malls, steps up checks at toll stations to curb Easter travel

Greece will reopen shopping malls on Saturday, authorities said, in a cautious easing of coronavirus restrictions as police stepped up checks on drivers at toll stations to curb movements ahead of the start of the Eastern Orthodox Easter week. The reopening -- subject to restrictions such as customers booking time to visit malls -- follows the start of mass distribution of free home test kits earlier this month and the reopening of senior high schools and non-essential retailers.

Greece will reopen shopping malls on Saturday, authorities said, in a cautious easing of coronavirus restrictions as police stepped up checks on drivers at toll stations to curb movements ahead of the start of the Eastern Orthodox Easter week.

The reopening -- subject to restrictions such as customers booking time to visit malls -- follows the start of mass distribution of free home test kits earlier this month and the reopening of senior high schools and non-essential retailers. In a further attempt to return towards some kind of normality, the government has said that restaurants will reopen early next month before the opening of the tourist sector on May 15.

Authorities have allowed church services during Holy Week starting on Monday with masks and distancing. But Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said people should not travel between regions to avoid a surge in coronavirus cases ahead of the planned opening of its key tourism season on May 15, with few exceptions.

Many Greeks celebrate Easter with family gatherings in their home regions or in holiday homes in the countryside and months of lockdowns have raised concern that people will defy restrictions on travel. Authorities have imposed a 300 euro fine for travelling without justification. Health experts said that infections have dropped but people should avoid travelling outside their home region.

"Βy no means should we spread the virus to our villages and our islands where the infection load is lower," Vana Papaevangelou, a member of a health experts committee advising the government, told a week briefing. Greece fared relatively well in containing the first wave of the pandemic but was forced to impose a strict lockdown late last year following a resurgence and it has seen state hospitals come under extreme strain in the latest wave.

Health authorities have reported 329,134 infections and 9,864 deaths so far.

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