COVID measures in Greece February 2021

New COVID measures in Greece for February 2021 have been announced. In this article, you can find all measures that the government is taking to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Greece in 2021.

COVID restrictions Greece – February 2021 {Updated 25 February 2021}

All latest updates / changes are marked in red. All the measures mentioned in this article are currently in place until 1 March.

Since early 2020, countries around the world have been taking different COVID measures. In recent months, there has been a pretty strict lockdown here in Greece.

Official information is posted on several websites, but mostly in Greek:

Hi, I’m Vanessa – I’m Greek and  I’ve been following the COVID measures since Day 1! In this article, I’ve listed all COVID measures in Greece for February 2021, to help non-Greek speakers living in or travelling to Greece. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer.

Greece is split in two zones – Orange (supervision) and red (alert)

Greece is currently split in several zones. The COVID restrictions vary according to the zone. This is the latest version of the map showing two zones, orange and red. Different measures apply in various red zones – see below.

COVID restrictions in Greece March 2021

Map taken from the official website on 21 February – please check the website for the current version

Most of Greece is in the orange (supervision) zone. The red (alert) zones, where there have been more COVID cases, have some additional restrictions.

Here’s a summary of measures that are currently in place all around Greece:

  • Mandatory use of masks everywhere (there are exceptions for private cars, exercising in organized spaces, and workplaces, when one person only is present)
  • Movement with a movement permit (sms or paper form), according to the official website (in Greek and English)
  • Both the private and public sector operates with restricted numbers of employees
  • Up to three people total (driver + two passengers) are allowed in private vehicles and taxis. There are exceptions for families with children, for people in need of medical assistance, and for teachers and students in rural areas.
  • Restaurants and cafes (for seated customers), bars, cinemas, theatres, archaeological sites, museums, galleries, children’s playgrounds, zoos, driving schools, ski resorts, campsites and a few more services remain closed.

What is currently open in Greece? Essential services

The following stores and services remain open all around Greece:

  • Supermarkets (with restrictions on the types of items on sale in some regions of the country)
  • Bakeries, butchers, fishmongers, other grocery stores, kiosks
  • Street markets, including the Varvakios market in Athens
  • Restaurants, coffee shops etc (only for deliveries and take-aways)
  • Pharmacies, hospitals, doctors, health services
  • KTEO (Vehicle technical control services), by appointment only
  • Gas stations, car repair services
  • Banks, post offices
  • Supreme courts and special courts
  • Special schools 
  • Universities, with online learning
  • Cleaners (e.g. carpet cleaners)
  • Pet shops, veterinarians
  • Opticians and stores selling hearing aids will be open, following a telephone call
  • Mobile telephony businesses, for selected services

COVID measures Greece in orange zones

In addition to the above, the following measures are in place in orange zones:

  • There is a curfew from 21.00 – 5.00
  • All school levels will operate normally
  • Up to 25 people are allowed in churches and other places of worship (up to 50 people for metropolitan churches)
  • All retail stores are operating normally, with restrictions on the number of customers. Maximum time that can be spent in those stores is two hours.
  • Hair salons, nail salons, dietitians remain open (by appointment)
  • OPAP (lottery stores) remain open.

Region of Attica – Athens, the suburbs, the Saronic islands and Troizinia area

The whole region of Attica, including the Saronic islands and the area of Troizinia, will have additional restrictions until 1 March, as follows:

  • Curfew from 21.00 – 5.00 on weekdays, and 18.00 – 5.00 on weekends
  • All schools (kindergartens, primary schools, high schools) will operate with online learning. Special schools will remain open.
  • “Essential” stores and services (supermarkets, bakeries, kiosks, gas stations, pharmacies etc) remain open. Saturday opening hours are 7.00-17.30. Certain shops (e.g. bakeries, patisseries, minimarkets and supermarket deliveries) can remain open on Sundays, until 17.30. Maximum time for shopping has now been set to 2 hours.
  • All commercial stores will remain closed and will only operate with deliveries (no more “click-inside” or “click-away”)
  • Hair salons, nail salons, dietitians and OPAP will remain closed
  • Churches remain open only for essential services (e.g. funerals), for up to 9 people
  • It was explicitly mentioned that travelling to different municipalities for the purposes for exercise is permitted, but there was a strong suggestion to remain close to our neighbourhoods.

Red zones Greece lockdown – Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki

The following measures are in place in the Regions of Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki:

  • Thessaloniki: Curfew from 21.00 – 5.00 for weekdays, and 18.00 – 5.00 for weekends
  • Chalkidiki: Curfew from 18.00 – 5.00 for all days
  • Kindergartens, primary schools and γυμνάσια will operate normally, but there will be online learning for λύκεια. For high schools that include both γυμνάσια and λύκεια, all classes will be online.
  • “Essential” stores (supermarkets, bakeries, kiosks, gas stores, pharmacies etc) will remain open. Saturday opening times will be 7.00-17.00
  • Hair salons, nail salons, dietitians will remain open (by appointment), from Monday to Friday (closed on Saturdays)
  • All other stores will operate with the click-away method only from Monday to Friday (closed on Saturdays). Maximum time that can be spent for shopping in these stores is two hours.
  • OPAP stores remain closed
  • Up to 9 people are allowed in churches and other places of worship

Stricter lockdown in Greece – Achaia, Evia, Mykonos, Kalymnos

In addition, the following areas are now termed as “deep red” zones, and even stricter measures apply:

  • The whole Regional Unit of Achaia
  • The whole Regional Unit of Evia apart from Skyros island
  • Municipality of Mykonos
  • Municipality of Kalymnos
  • Regional unit of Thessaloniki > Municipality Kordeliou – Evosmou
  • Regional unit of Arkadia

For these areas, the following measures will be in place:

  • Curfew from 18.00 – 5.00
  • Kindergartens, primary schools and high schools (all classes) will operate with online learning (exception – in Mykonos, kindergartens and primary schools will remain open)
  • All stores apart from supermarkets and other essential stores will remain closed. E.g. bookstores, clothes stores, shoe stores, all other retail stores, hair salons, beauty salons and OPAP
  • Courts and churches are closed
  • Construction services are restricted, in Mykonos only.

Note that the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos in Lasithi and the Municipality of Santorini have now been taken off this list.

Additional COVID measures Greece in other red zones

A number of other areas have also been classified as red zones:

  • Regional Unit of Viotia > Municipalities of Thiva and Tanagra
  • Regional Unit of Pieria > Municipality Pydnas Kolindrou
  • The whole Regional Unit of Rethymno in Crete 
  • Municipality of Karpathos
  • Regional Unit of Larisa > Municipalities of Tempi (Tempon) and Agia
  • The whole Regional Unit of Heraklion
  • The whole Regional Unit of Kefalonia
  • The whole Regional Unit of Ilia, apart from the municipality of Andritsaina-Krestenon
  • Regional Unit of Ioannina > Municipality of Zitsa
  • Regional Unit of Corinthia > Municipalities of Corinth and Nemea
  • Regional Unit of Argolida > Municipality of Argos-Mykinon and Municipality of Nafplion
  • Municipality of Thasos

For these areas, the following additional measures are in place:

  • Curfew from 18.00 – 5.00 (apart from work and health reasons)
  • Kindergartens, primary schools and γυμνάσια (first three grades of high school) will operate normally. For high schools that include both γυμνάσια and λύκεια, classes are online.
  • Λύκεια (last three grades of high school) will continue with online learning
  • Up to 9 people are allowed in churches and other places of worship
  • Bookstores, clothes stores and shoe stores will operate with the “click-inside” method. This means that an appointment will have to be made in advance with the store. The customer can go inside the store, and pay with card or cash. Maximum time that can be spent for shopping in these stores is two hours.
  • All other retail stores will operate with the “click-away” method. This means that the goods will have to be pre-ordered and paid for at the store entrance, with a card (no cash). Maximum time that can be spent for shopping in these stores is two hours.
  • Maximum time that can be spent in retail stores is two hours.

Note that the Municipalities of Sparta (Laconia), Eordea (Kozani) and Zakynthos have now been taken off this list.

How about travelling around Greece?

Travelling between Regional Units in Greece is not allowed. Apart from certain exceptions, people can only travel in their own Regional Unit. Here are the exceptions:

  • work related reasons
  • health reasons
  • returning to the primary area of residence (upon showing official proof of permanent address, which needs to be obtained through the Taxis system)
  • reunion of families (this includes divorced families)
  • funeral of a close relative.

One important detail: The Region of Attica has more than one Regional Units. There is an explicit mention in the official Gazette (ΦΕΚ648Β/20.2.2021), Article 4.1, as  follows: “Απαγορεύεται η μετακίνηση, με οποιοδήποτε μέσο, εκτός των ορίων της οικείας Περιφερειακής Ενότητας, ή ειδικώς στην περίπτωση της Αττικής εκτός των ορίων της Περιφέρειας”.

This means that those of us who live in Athens and the suburbs can travel all around Attica (excluding the Saronic islands). There needs to be a valid reason, as per the Forma website. {With that said, I’ve heard of cases where people were fined for “unnecessary movement” within Attica…}

Finally, here is some info about international travel to and from Greece.

If this article has helped you in any way, please feel free to share!

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