ATHENS – Effectively ending a pandemic that’s still ongoing, Greece’s New Democracy government, which pulled back health measures against COVID-19 said that tourists who are infected won’t be quarantined but free to walk about.

While that could spread the Coronavirus further, a health protocol decision showed how lenient rules to deal with the pandemic are even as it’s still creating cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

Unlike when cases were higher and more severe, there won’t be quarantine hotels for tourists and those who get infected won’t be required to meet self-isolation rules while in Greece, SchengenVisaInfo.com reported.

In addition, the current rule that requires everyone infected with the virus to remain in quarantine for a period of five days does not apply to travelers, Greek Travel Pages said.

That means tourists can choose where they want to remain in self-isolation for the number of days they have booked but those who don’t won’t be forced to stay apart from others and can board ferries, planes and transportation.

The only alleged rule is that they must wear an FFP2 or a KN95 face mask the entire time, no word on whether they would be required to self-report that they have the virus or how the rule would be enforced.

Greece lifted all of its COVID-related entry restrictions earlier in May. Since then, all travelers, regardless of their country of origin, have been permitted restriction-free entry in a push for an economic recovery.

Visitors don’t have to be vaccinated, show proof of recovery from COVID or taks tests although the number of cases persisting has health officials considering whether to re-impose a mask requirement again.