Greece – Covid-19: seated guests only in all bars, clubs from Thursday

As of July 8, all bars, clubs and other entertainment venues will only be allowed serve seated guests, the government has announced.

Speaking after health authorities reported a sharp rise in new Covid-19 infections, Deputy Minister of Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias said businesses who flout the regulations will face heavy fines.

He warned that the incidence of the Delta varient was increasing, especially among young people, which be blamed on bars and clubs.

“The Delta mutation has begun to prevail and the unvaccinated are in danger. Since last Monday we have recorded a jump in new cases, which have almost tripled. The new cases have been detected mainly in people of a young age and mainly in entertainment activities in clubs and bars, which facilitate transmission.”

He said businsses will also have to respect the maximum customer thresholds set by ministry of development under the current restriction measures.

Establishments that violate the rules will face a penalty of 5,000 euros and a being shut down for seven days.

A second violation will results in heavier fines and a third violation the confiscation of the business license.

Hardalias said that in sample tests conducted on Tuesday in the southern Athens suburbs of Alimos and Glyfada, 66% of infected people were aged 15-24 years old, and the positivity rate was 6.1 and 8.4%, respectively.

Citing National Public Health Organization (EODY) statistics, he said that the rate of clusters of infection had risen as well, while 32% of people with recorded infections mentioned an outdoor assembly as a possible source of exposure to the coronavirus. In addition, hundreds of infections recorded in the last few days could be traced to entertainment venues.

Source: ekathimerini