ATHENS – Stores selling shoes, clothing, home appliances and cosmetics are among those reopening on Monday (May 11), in the second wave of Covid-19 restrictions lifted by the government, Deputy Development and Investments Minister Nikos Papathanassis said on Friday.

During the daily briefing on pandemic developments, Papathanassis also announced later opening hours for most stores, restrictions in customers served at any one time, and recommendations about elevator use.

Retail stores reopening on Monday, May 11, include those selling the following goods or services:

– Sound and image equipment

– Textile products

– Ironworks, house paint, glass

– Rugs, kilims, wall and floor covering

– Home electrical appliances

– Furniture, lighting fixtures and other home furnishings

– Music and visual recordings

– Toys

– Clothing

– Shoes, leather goods

– Cosmetics, personal grooming goods

– Watches, jewellery

– New and used goods

In addition, reopening on May 11 are shops renting sports and leisure equipment, videotapes and LPs, personal or home equipment, and all shops within shops, retail businesses with outdoor stands, driving schools, betting stores, and diet services.

The reopening of these businesses means that 155,962 staff members (or 22.5 pct of all employees whose jobs were suspended by coronavirus-prevention measures) will return to work. A total of 66,100 businesses (25 pct of those whose operation was suspended) will reopen, Papathanassis said.

Details were also provided by the minister in the number of customers served at a store depending on store surface area, while he said that all stores will open at 10:00 a.m., except for those selling house paints and other industrial goods, which may open at 7:00 a.m.

Health authorities strongly recomment the use of protective masks for staff and customers alike, and keeping a distance of 1.5 m among people, while customers are encouraged not to use elevators. If they must use them, an elevator has to be less than half full (40 pct), he noted.

Betting stores are not allowed to seat their customers and the use of a mask by both customers and staff is strongly recommended.

Driving school customers may visit only after appointments, and both customers and staff must wear masks.

Between May 4 (the first wave of reopenings) and May 11, Papathanassis said, a total of 225,000 employees will have returned to work (33 pct of totally suspended positions) and 93,000 businesses reopened (35 pct of all suspended ones).

Stores were shut down on March 16 by government order, and lockdown was introduced for the public on March 23.

"The road is an uphill, but our strength is great and persistent," the minister said, calling for continued vigilance and observation of public health rules.