ATHENS – The fully vaccinated in Greece can look forward to a spring withouth COVID-19 health restrictions – except for mask wearing – as the New Democracy government moves toward fully opening the economy.

That’s in line with other European Union countries who are pulling back the reins as well as the number of cases keeps falling – although in Greece deaths are at a record and averaging some 100 daily.

Anti-vaxxers won’t be given the same benefits, however, and will still be barred from most public gathering spots – except for pharmacie and supermarkets – as they are the primary spreaders of the Coronavirus.

There was no word on what Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ advisory panel of doctors and scientists are recommending but Kathimerini said the prevailing opinion of health officials in many EU states is to lift measures.

The first restrictions in Greece that are likely to be lifted beginning in March are those limiting how many customers can be in a restaurants although the newspaper said it will be either capacity or number of seats allowed.

Greece considers the vaccinated to be those who have had a booster shot, a third for most versions except the single-shot Johnson & Johnson from the United States.

Mitsotakis had backed away from a pledge to consider making vaccinations mandatory for all if the pandemic worsened and only health care workers and those over 60 are required to be inoculated.

Health care workers without shots have been suspended and will be fired starting April 1 while those over 60 who haven’t been vaccinated are being fined 100 euros ($114.34) a month until they are.