In the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, Greece emerged as a surprising success story . The governments swift actions to close down the country in February and March helped it avoid the high death tolls that other nations experienced and positioned it well to reopen. The country began lifting lockdown restrictions in early May and started welcoming international travellers again in mid-June, enticing tourists with the promise of a largely coronavirus-free getaway.

Since then, however, the number of coronavirus cases in Greece has risen alarmingly , and scientists say the country is now officially experiencing a second wave . On Sunday, Greece recorded 203 new infections, the highest daily tally since the start of the pandemic.

Much of the blame has fallen on partygoers packing into beach bars and nightclubs. The government on Monday imposed a late-night curfew on bars and restaurants in popular nightlife destinations, including the islands of Mykonos, Santorini, and Corfu.

Unfortunately, the transmission of the virus is increasing dangerously, said Health Minister Vasilis Kikilias. I call once again on the young and those citizens who do not follow the basic measures of personal protection masks, hygiene rules, safety distances to consider their responsibilities towards vulnerable groups, the rest of our fellow citizens and the country.

Young people have become a convenient scapegoat for rising infections in many parts of the world. In the United Kingdom, the city of Preston was placed on local lockdown last week after a significant rise in cases among people under age 30, which health officials linked to people mixing in pubs and homes .

In response, government officials are telling young people, Dont Kill Granny, to try to reinforce the idea that, even if they dont have symptoms, they could spread the virus to more vulnerable populations.

Young people are inevitably among the brave and the bold. They want to be adventurous and out and about, Adrian Phillips, chief executive of the Preston City Council, told the BBC. But we know that they have the virus, are more likely to at the moment. They often have less symptoms, but they do take it back to their household. And the community spread we are seeing, we believe in many cases, are young people taking it home and catching the virus.