Greek eases lockdown: relieved and hung over
Despite still relatively high infection rates (the 7-day incidence rate on 14 May was 156), the strict lockdown in Greece has for the most part been lifted after around six months. The country also officially reopened its doors to tourists on Saturday. Greek media take stock of the general mood in the country.
At least a glimmer of hope
Efimerida ton Syntakton detects cautious optimism:
“It's more a feeling of escaping fear and ineffective constraints, and less the result of an unambiguous assessment or concrete evidence. This is also true for the German, English and Russian travellers who are looking forward to a few days of relaxation in a sunny seaside resort. And for the Greek hoteliers, family businesses, permanent staff and seasonal workers who can't wait to get to work. ... In short, despite the still alarming pandemic situation there is a glimmer of hope and optimism that this year's tourist season will be much better than last year's.”
Moving on but completely dazed
It's too early to breathe a sigh of relief, News 24 warns:
“After 188 days of lockdown that seemed like an eternity, we are in the strangest phase of the pandemic. The end is so close, but at the same time so far away. We've got our lives, our squares and our bars back (or at least some of them), but we still have no certainty about when we'll be able to take our masks off. It feels like the hours after vaccination: we did the right thing, but we can feel the side effects. We wander around like headless chickens. ... And this new well wishing we say to each other, 'good immunity', sounds a little strange.”