ATHENS – Warned by health experts it wasn’t safe, Greece’s New Democracy government has decided not to let schools reopen on April 5 during the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, the start date set back at least a week.

If schools open again, they would then be shut almost right away again as a vacation period before Easter on May 2 would begin April 24 unless it’s cancelled as has been discussed.

But that would take schools up to Good Friday on April 30 and run into the Holy Week, and schools would also be closed until May 10, almost going into a pre-exam period which sees seniors in high school knocking off.

The government also has talked about extending the school year deep into June, when the weather often is in the 90-degree range and many facilities not having air conditioning.

The decision to again delay the reopening came after epidemiological data showed too high levels of the Coronavirus and with schools and students in close settings likely to spread it faster.

The team of experts advising the government on the pandemic recommended against any reopening during its emergency virtual meeting, adding however that any change to this decision will only concern graduating high schoolers, said Kathimerini.

It wasn’t said if the possibility was discussed that schools might not reopen at all for the end of the academic year given the Holy Week and vacations before and after Easter and if COVID-19 doesn’t abate enough.