Greece opened its beaches on Saturday, post which hundreds flocked to the beaches, sitting under umbrellas kept at a safe distance from each other to ensure social distancing. The government opened their 500+ beaches in an attempt to revive its tourism sector, an important contributor to the country’s economy.
According to a government-issued manual, a maximum of 40 people were allowed on to the beaches for every 100 m2 of the beach, with canopies no closer than one metre. A drone buzzed over sun-loungers with loudspeakers urging people to keep safe distances from each other.
In comparison with its neighbours, Greece has only a fraction of the COVID-19 cases with 2,800 infections and 160 deaths. From May 4, it began a phased-in easing of the lockdown that had been in place since mid-March.
Their lockdown is expected to have a profound effect on their economy, which is only just recovering from years of financial distress. The impact is even more pronounced because of the rest of the world being under lockdown. Economists estimate around 5-10% decline in the economy by 2021.