ATHENS — "We saw an aggressive outbreak over the previous period, mainly in northern Greece, and that is why we took the first measures. In the rest of Greece, we see an increase in cases but, fortunately, not an aggressive one yet. And we hope that with the measures we have taken we can stop this increase and slowly see a decline. If this happens, then the measures will end faster," government spokesperson Stelios Petsas said on Tuesday, in an interview with SKAI TV.

He added that "if we all follow the measures, then we will be able to be more optimistic about December."

Regarding movement from prefecture to prefecture, he said that this issue has often occupied the experts. "At the moment, there is no recommendation for a general ban on travel from prefecture to prefecture. Ηowever, if there is a recommendation, the government, of course, will listen to it."

Also, Petsas pointed out that the government's intention is for schools to remain open. "And the epidemiological burden shows that our schools are not the problem," he explained.

Regarding the support for businesses and employees, the government spokesperson noted that not many stores, especially restaurants, were so badly affected as to fold during the previous lockdown. "There was a strong rebound in consumption in hospitality in the following months, despite the fact that our tourism was hit, with much lower arrivals and revenue. So this is an encouraging element and I hope it works in the future as well," he said, noting that the government is working to support the affected sectors.