Greece allowed cafes and restaurants to reopen on Monday as part of a gradual lifting of its coronavirus restrictions to reboot its tourism-dependent economy and help draw in foreign visitors ahead of the summer season.

The country, which has emerged from a decade-long financial crisis in the last couple of years, is relying on tourism to help it recover from a nationwide lockdown that brought its economy to a near standstill.

With tables set far apart and waitresses wearing masks, restaurants served the many Greeks keen to get out and enjoy food and a cup of coffee again after roughly two months of confinement.

“We have missed this, this is psychological therapy for us, so of course it’s important, very, very important,” said Katerina Stravaridi from a cafe in Athens.

So far, the country has managed to contain the spread of COVID-19 infections to just 2,878 cases and 171 deaths - low numbers compared with elsewhere in the EU - mainly by imposing an early nationwide lockdown in March.

Athens mayor Kostas Bakoyannis said reopening the food services sector is a prelude for the summer holiday season.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-greece-restaurants/greece-reopens-cafes-restaurants-as-summer-season-nears-idUSKBN2311GD

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Greek Health Ministry representative Sotiris Tsiodras on Wednesday announced seven new cases of coronavirus in the nation, bringing the total who have been diagnosed to 2,408, but adding that there were no new deaths over the past 24 hours.

This means that Greece’s total coronavirus death toll remains at 121.

As of now 55 coronavirus patients who have an average age of 67 are intubated, and 51 have left intensive care, Tsiodras said. Fully 86 percent of ICU patients currently suffering from Covid-19 in Greece have underlying health issues or are over 70 years of age.

https://greece.greekreporter.com/2020/04/22/zero-coronavirus-fatalities-in-greece-on-wednesday/

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