ATHENS – The lifting of a lockdown aimed at preventing the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus has Greeks feeling less anxious with the New Democracy government's popularity for its handling of the pandemic.

A poll by the firm Pulse for SKAI TV showed the number of those feeling most worried fell from 78 to 44 percent the first week of June, and from 63 percent the month earlier, the jitters winding down as the number of cases and fatalities did.

The poll showed that, currently, 27 percent are moderately anxious, while 20 percent said they were a little anxious or not at all, said Kathimerini in a report on the findings that showed people more optimistic now.

Although the lockdown that closed non-essential businesses has had a devastating effect on the economy and people's lives and financial standing, some 54 percent said they approved of the tough measures.

New Democracy maintains a steady lead in terms of who people would vote for if a general election was to be held now, with 42.5 percent (the same as on May 4-6), while SYRIZA increased its share by one point to 23 percent, a distant second.