Greece gradually lifts lockdown restrictions

By Magda Panoutsopoulou

ATHENS (AA) - Greece on Friday relaxed its pandemic-related restriction after months.

The government abolished the mobile text messaging system required for citizens to leave their houses.

Also, the country officially opened its doors for tourists.

Visitors from the European Union, the UK, the US and Israel will be allowed to visit the country after they show a vaccination certificate or a negative COVID-19 test result.

As of Friday, curfew will be extended past midnight instead of 11 p.m., while restrictions on travelling between regions were also lifted.

Travelers who wish to visit the Greek islands with the exceptions of Lefkada, Evia and Salamina, can do so under certain conditions. A vaccination certificate, 14 days after the second dose, should be presented or a negative COVID-19 test result.

Restrictions were also lifted for retail stores and museums.

Greece has administered more than 4 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine, with 2.6 million people fully vaccinated.

So far, the country has reported 371,693 infections with 11,266 deaths.