Greece to Impose Lockdown to Contain Spread of Coronavirus

(Bloomberg) --

Greece will impose a national lockdown from 6 a.m. on March 23 in an attempt to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

“It’s probably the last step for a democratic state,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a televised address on Sunday evening. It “must be taken in time, so it’s not taken in vain.”

Greece has reported 530 coronavirus cases so far and 13 people have died. The government has already closed the country’s borders to all non-European Union citizens, while the only shops open are supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations, pet shops, food delivery companies, groceries, bakeries, kiosks and banks.

People will still be able to go to all these shops or to go to their workplace, but they will need to have their ID or passport and a certificate from their employer.

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