Unvaccinated people in Greece will only be allowed to enter local government agencies, banks, shops and hairdressers, among other places, with a negative coronavirus test starting from Saturday.

They will also have to present a negative test at work twice a week and at their own expense.

Essential shops, such as supermarkets and pharmacies, will remain accessible without a test, Greek Health Minister Thanos Plevris told state television on Tuesday evening.

In addition, according to the minister, from Friday onwards all fully vaccinated citizens aged 18 and over will be able to receive a booster shot.

Plevris explained the new measures saying that unvaccinated citizens are more susceptible to a coronavirus infection and therefore also have to exercise more caution.

It is not possible to impose a nationwide lockdown again, he said.

In Greece, the number of new daily infections has risen sharply recently. On Tuesday, 6,700 new cases were reported, a record since the beginning of the pandemic.

Almost 90 per cent of Covid-19 intensive care beds are occupied, with 85 per cent of these patients not vaccinated.

According to Plevris, 73 per cent of adults in the country are fully vaccinated.

Source: dpa/MIA