“Immune-Only” Venues for the Fully Vaccinated in Greece

Greece will give more freedom to those who are fully vaccinated by creating “immune-only” venues and spaces, it was announced on Tuesday.

State Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis outlined the government plan for measures in recreational and entertainment industry venues, saying that this new operating model for the market will begin starting on July 15.

Immune-only venues and spaces in Greece will be only for those who have been fully vaccinated or have immunity through having had the virus in the last six months.

Everyone must also have the corresponding certificate to prove their status to gain access to the venues.

The plan also allows for “mixed” venues which also grant access to the unvaccinated — but only if they have a negative a rapid or PCR test for Covid.

The measures can apply to either indoor areas or open spaces that are likely to be crowded.

As the Minister of State pointed out, it is up to business owners to choose the model they prefer and apply the respective conditions.

He noted that the presence and validity of certificates will be checked in the first case, while minimum distancing rules and other protection measures will also apply in the second scenario.

Restaurants, cinemas and theaters in Greece that opt for the immune-only model will be allowed to increase capacity to 85 percent (with the use of masks in theaters and cinemas) while so-called mixed areas are restricted to 50 percent of their normal capacity.

For seating outdoors, immune-only areas will be allowed to reach 85 percent capacity while for mixed areas this will be 75 percent or lower.

Entertainment venues for fully vaccinated on 60 percent capacity

Clubs, and both indoor and outdoor entertainment venues, immune-only venues will be permitted to reach 60 percent capacity, while for mixed venues this will be less than 25 percent. For stadiums, only vaccinated individuals and those with immunity acquired through infection will be admitted; these individuals will also be required to wear a mask.

Gerapetritis also offered assurances that personal data and rights of citizens will be fully respected, while adding that “the need to build immunity and regain our freedoms is unavoidable.”

Οn his part, Development and Investments Minister Adonis Georgiadis said that it was up to each individual to participate in the nationwide effort to persuade those who are hesitating to get vaccinated and reach the number of inoculations needed this Summer to avoid a new wave of the pandemic.

All venues must be declared as either “immune-only” or “mixed” by July 15, on a special online platform, and will have to display a special sign to indicate to which category they belong at the entrance.

“Freedom Pass” for young people

Greece, very keen to speed up the vaccination rollout across the country, announced on Monday that young people aged 18-25 will receive a prepaid card with 150 euros when they get their first shot of a vaccine.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself announced the initiative, dubbed the “Freedom Pass,” saying that it represents an award for this age group that has more recently been affected by the coronavirus.

The Freedom Pass will cover costs in travel and entertainment, such as plane and ferry tickets; hotel bookings; music, theatre and cinema events; and fees for museums and archaeological sites.

Main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance accused Mitsotakis of attempting to bribe young people and asked him to stop “dividing the citizens” with “privileges” for the vaccinated.

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Top Five Emerging Destinations in Greece

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Greece Heatwave Turns Aegean Sea into Steam Bath

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Bank of Greece Insists on 4.2% Economic Growth for 2021

The Bank of Greece (BoG) said on Monday that economic growth will reach 4.2 percent this year, as it had also forecast in its previous report, with growth being particularly strong in the latter half of 2021.

The forecast is higher than the 3.6 percent that had been estimated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The BoG’s monetary policy report for 2020-21 notes that the recovery of economic activity has already begun, but warned that “significant challenges” remain for the economy.

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Stolen Picasso and Mondrian Paintings Recovered by Greek Police

Two stolen paintings by Pablo Picasso and Piet Mondrian have finally been found by Greek police. Nearly ten years ago, on January 9, 2012, a group of criminals were able to infiltrate the Greek National Gallery and steal two oil paintings by Mondrian and Picasso. Greek police have now reportedly found the two paintings, the first break in the nine years since the theft took place.

Police have not yet made any arrests or released how and where the paintings were recovered. The burglary was pre-meditated and deftly executed, lasting less than ten minutes. The burglars went into the museum the night before the theft and set off the alarm system, causing the museum’s security team to disable one of the alarms.

Along with the Mondrian and Picasso works that were recovered today, the thieves took another piece– a drawing by the Italian 16th-century painter Guglielmo Caccia. As they attempted to steal a fourth painting–another Mondrian–the guards approached them and they dropped it in order to make their escape.

Stolen Picasso and Mondrian paintings were important assets of Greece’s art collection

The Picasso painting stolen in the theft was a 1939 female bust, “Woman’s Head” rendered in his distinctive, signature cubist style that went on to define a movement of 20th century art-making. The piece was gifted to Greece by Picasso himself in 1949 “in homage to the Greek people” to show respect for the Greek resistance to the Nazi occupation during World War II.

 

 

The other painting recovered was Dutch painter Mondrian’s 1905 painting, “Mill,” which is a representational painting of a windmill that precedes the more well known, geometric abstraction in his body of later work.

The National Gallery is Greece‘s foremost art institution. Featuring mainly works from or related to Greece dating from the 14th to the 20th centuries, the halls of the National Gallery of Greece provide a complete image of the development of not only Greek art but also of Greek history.

The museum boasts a collection over 20,000 priceless works of art, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures, and was founded in 1878.

The National Gallery of Greece started out with just 117 works of art

At its nascent stage, the National Gallery housed just 117 works of art, until well-known jurist and art collector Alexandros Soutzos donated his massive collection of paintings and sculptures to the Greek government upon his death in 1896.

The acquisition of Soutzos’ many works helped Greece transform its National Gallery into an art museum worthy of the European capital.

By 1900, the National Gallery of Greece, also called the Alexandros Soutzos Museum, for its benefactor, had established itself as a worth repository for the great works of art produced in Greece throughout the country’s post-Byzantine history.

Greek Researchers’ Cancer Treatment Approved by EMA

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Together with his children Sofia Richie, Nicole Richie and Miles Richie, he celebrated his birthday on June 20 at a beautiful location on Mykonos overlooking the Aegean Sea.

Mahatma Gandhi Statue Unveiled in Athens

A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled in Athens on Saturday in honor of the Indian activist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India’s independence from British rule.

Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar attended the unveiling near the Indian embassy in the city.