Greece to extend public testing over Christmas holiday

Greek authorities said on Thursday they will continue a public testing campaign and strict monitoring of lockdown measures over the Christmas holidays after acknowledging that current restrictions have only been partially successful in reducing a high number of infections.

Testing teams from the state-run Public Health Agency set up mobile sites at several points in Athens and Greece's second-largest city, Thessaloniki, and as well as in seven other cities and towns. One testing site was set up at Athens' main Syntagma square.

Greece has been in lockdown since Nov. 7 and additional, weeklong restrictions were announced on Thursday in an industrial area west of Athens following a recent spike in cases. Greece registered over 1,155 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours.