Latest on Restrictions

Latest restrictions announced today

https://cyprus-mail.com/2020/12/29/coro … -to-homes/

Latest on rapid testing requirements

https://cyprus-mail.com/2020/12/29/coro … pid-tests/

Latest on HMGov webpage

Still current at:9 January 2021Updated:8 January 2021Latest update:
Update to information on restrictions to public spaces and services ('Coronavirus' page)

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:

the whole of Cyprus based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.
Travel is subject to entry restrictions

The UK has been removed from Cyprus’ Category B List which means that temporary visitors (who are not citizens or residents of Cyprus) are not permitted to travel to Cyprus from the UK
Legal residents of Cyprus and Cypriot ID holders are permitted to enter Cyprus on presentation of proof of residence or Cypriot nationality
On 21 December, the Cypriot authorities publicly advised against all but essential travel to the UK from Cyprus, and a mandatory authority-assigned quarantine of a minimum of 7 days for all arrivals into Cyprus from the UK. Following this announcement, the authorities have informed the British High Commission, but not yet publicly announced, that the UK is now in Cyprus’ Category C. This means that visitors from the UK are not permitted to travel to Cyprus.
source - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advic … =immediate

LOCKDOWN MEASURES
The new measures will take effect from Sunday, January 10 and will last for three weeks (until January 31)
The current curfew will remain the same.  9:00pm until 5:00am
hairdressers, barbershops and beauty salons to close. All other businesses that are currently closed will remain closed.
Only essential services, food chain businesses such as supermarkets, bakeries, confectioneries, flea markets and kiosks, as well as the agricultural, construction and construction industries, car repair shops, florists and businesses will operate. 
students of all levels will do online lessons. The only exception is the kindergartens, which will continue to operate normally, with the physical presence of children.


Both airports and ports will continue to operate normally.  The hotels will remain open, however they will only accommodate tourists arriving in Cyprus.
SMS permission for movement 8998. format of sms messaging remains the same requesting permission... restricted to twice per day per person

As for the employees' movement permit, this will be done by filling in a form from the employer, as was the case in the previous lockdown.
the structure of the service should not be altered. the numbering of the categories (see table below) that we will select and send an SMS to 8998 to get approval, to remain the same as in the first lockdown.
Therefore, the categories will remain 8. The only difference is that in category 1 will be added the license for vaccination or coronavirus test (PCR or Rapid test).
each citizen will be entitled to two trips per day. So only 2 text permissions per day.
The duration for each SMS will be valid for a reasonable period of time (up to 3 hours depending on the category we have chosen).
It is worth mentioning that restrictions will be placed on travel from one province to another, with some exceptions.
Specifically, as a typically competent source told us, moving from one Province to another will be allowed only for specific reasons (eg work).
The 8 categories are as follows:
1. Go to a pharmacy or for a blood donation or a visit to a doctor or for a vaccination or a coronavirus test,
2. Go to a store to buy or supply essential goods / services. 
3. Go to a bank, to the extent that electronic transaction is not possible. 
4. Absolutely necessary visits to Government Services or Services of the wider public sector and the Local Government. 
5. Trafficking for assistance to persons who are unable to support themselves or who have to protect themselves or are in self-restraint and / or in conditions of compulsory restriction (quarantine)
6. Movement for physical exercise or for the needs of a pet, if not more than two  persons and are limited to areas inhabited by their residence,
7. Going to a ceremony (eg, funeral, wedding, baptism) by first and second degree relatives not exceeding the number of 10 persons
8. Declaration of any other purpose of movement that may  to be justified on the basis of anti-traffic measures.

Latest revised announcement

***REVISED***Statement by the Minister of Health, Mr Constantinos Ioannou, during the announcement of the 1st phase of the strategic lifting of measures
We are in the 3rd week of lockdown, which entered into force on 10 January 2021, and the improvement of the epidemiological picture allows us to begin to gradually de-escalate the restrictive measures.
As we have stressed several times, the de-escalation steps will be gradual, coordinated and controlled, so that the epidemiological situation can be monitored and the possibility of epidemiological deterioration reduced. Decisions are taken not only on the basis of a reduction in the number of cases, but also take into consideration other epidemiological indicators such as the situation in hospitals, which remains quite difficult. Our goal is to continue to see a decrease in the number of hospitalized persons in relation to the reduction of cases, while our attention focuses on people who are hospitalized in a serious condition in High Dependency Units and Intensive Care Units.
In addition to the epidemiological picture, the action plan for the gradual lifting of restrictive measures that has been developed takes into account the thri-fold consideration “test – vaccinations – strict surveillance of the measures”, without ignoring recommendations for alertness to concerns at European level about the aggressive spread and transmission of the new strain of the virus, as well as developments in vaccination issues.
Based on the above parameters, we want to avoid hasty high-risk moves that will undermine the effort to relaunch, as quickly as possible, social and economic activity in order to return quickly but safely to normal conditions.
After analyzing the epidemiological data and evaluating of the factors mentioned above, the Council of Ministers, after hearing the recommendations of the Scientific Advisory Committee and the proposals of the technical committee from the relevant Ministries, decided to lift measures for the period 1-15 February, as follows:
The following shall apply as of Monday, 1 February:
1. Re-opening of barbershops, hair salons, beauty salons.
2. Increase from 25% to 50% of the percentage of personnel who may have a physical presence in private service businesses, without a minimum and maximum number of people.
3. House gatherings are prohibited, with the exception of up to two (2) persons visiting, provided they are 1st and 2nd degree relatives.
From Monday, 8 February 2021, the following also enter into force:
1. Re-opening of public and private primary schools, Lyceums and Technical Schools for 3rd Grade students only.
2. Re-opening of retail shops, including department stores and shopping centres.
3. Re-opening of betting shops, only for the purpose of completing the voucher, without the use of tables and seating arrangements.
4. Re-opening of museums and other archaeological sites.
5. The Divine Liturgy in places of religious worship may be held with the presence of congregants with a maximum number of persons up to 50 people, in compliance with the health protocols.
6. Increase of the number of people in house gatherings, to four (4) persons visiting.
Further clarifications which may arise on the implementation of the measures will be provided within the day.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As you know, in recent months an important weapon in our strategy to tackle the pandemic has been the large number of rapid antigen tests carried out in the community, which allows us to have rapid and reliable epidemiological surveillance in real time.
Thus, using the rapid test tool, and in order to reduce the risk of spreading the virus in workplaces and in the general population, the Ministry of Health has designed a targeted control plan of rapid testing in the workplace for all groups of employees who will be reactivated. In particular, on the basis of the strategy, employees returning to their workplace will undergo a rapid test, which will be provided free of charge by the Ministry of Health through the test units. Therefore, on the basis of the above announcements, from tomorrow and until Sunday, a testing programme will be implemented for all employees in hair salons, barbershops and beauty salons, who will be reactivated as of Monday, February 1st. At the same time, as of 1 February, the mandatory weekly check through rapid test of 20% of staff working in operating businesses takes effect. In particular, 20 % of their employees should have a rapid test at any time and on a weekly basis. In order to achieve this objective, employees will be able to go for a test to the Ministry of Health Testing Points as of tomorrow.
The gradual safe restart of the economy presupposes strict adherence to the health protocols. All employees and employers, professional associations, trade unions and other organizations are kindly requested to ensure that the updated directives are implemented diligently. At the same time, all the competent Ministries entrusted with responsibility to supervise the implementation of the measures are prepared for more effective monitoring.
The present improved epidemiological picture essentially reflects the measures that were implemented during the holiday season and onwards. Therefore, in the coming days we will be evaluating the measures that will be implemented as of now and taking steps towards further de-escalation of the restrictions accordingly. I repeat that the de-escalation steps should be gradual and controlled in order to move further away from an unsafe zone.
As we have said many times, an important weapon in the fight against the virus is vaccination coverage of the population. Despite the delay in the supply of vaccines, we are optimistic that we will cover the lost ground as we have ordered far more vaccines than those correspond to the population of Cyprus. The interest in being vaccinated in our country has surpassed initial assessments and this makes us content. Our goal is to have completed the vaccination of people over the age of 80 as well as health professionals of the 1st line by the beginning of March, and by the end of March, in line to the plan, to have vaccinated 100,000 of our fellow citizens. In this way, we will unburden and at the same time shield the Health System, protecting our fellow citizens who have an increased risk of serious illness and hospitalization. The vaccination shielding of a critical group of the population will allow us to continue the de-escalation plan with more confidence and safety.

SOURCE
https://www.pio.gov.cy/αν^ … 18101#flat

Do you know if there are still travel restrictions between regions in Cyprus. For example, could I travel between Paphos and Nicosia and back again in a single day?

The reason is we have purchased a house which we are renovating and we need to move in before March and prices for certain items are cheaper in Nicosia.

I know I would need to send an SMS to explain the reason for travel but would they allow us to travel this far if the journey took most of the day?

I can order online and request delivery but would prefer to see the items in a showroom.

You could use both your sms but that is an absolute maximum of 6 hours..... ie 2 x 3 hrs send one then send another as the first expires but remember there is now a further restriction in terms of code use. 2 for essential shopping (food) and the new code 9 has been reworded to now cover non essential shopping

Note....they are getting very strict in accurate and proper use of sms coding and heavy fines being imposed for improper use... especially in Nicosia Limassol districts

Good luck

LATEST RESTRICTIONS UPDATE

The cabinet on Wednesday extended the current phase of the measures against the spread of coronavirus to February 28.

The decision was taken following the suggestion of the ministerial committee on the management of the pandemic, the health ministry said.

“Despite the improvement in epidemiological indicators, at its meeting yesterday the ministerial committee for the pandemic management examined the epidemiological data and took into account the fact that the second phase was activated only on Monday, February 8, so its results should be evaluated in the coming weeks,” it said.

The ministry also cited the concerns at European level over the new variants of the virus.

“Given that the new variants detected so far in most EU countries, including Cyprus, cause more aggressive and rapid transmission of the virus, the competent ministers agreed that the de-escalation of measures should be done slowly and carefully, in order to avoid deterioration of the epidemiological picture,” it added.

Toward that end, it said, the cabinet also approved the committee’s suggestion for the continuation of weekly rapid tests on workers to avoid outbreaks in workplaces.

The second phase of relaxations that entered into force on Monday, concerned the reopening of shops and the return of primary education pupils and of final year lyceum pupils to schools. Up to four people are also allowed during home visits.

Betting shops also reopened on Monday as well as museums and other archaeological sites, while a maximum of 50 people are allowed at church services.

Last week the government allowed the return of more people back to their workplaces and the reopening of hairdressers and beauticians.

SOURCE https://cyprus-mail.com/2021/02/10/coro … 745dImDbyc

Latest on incoming visitors
Coronavirus: airports will reopen under traffic-light system


Airports will be reopening in March with a colour-coded health risk assessment system, the ministry of transport announced on Thursday.

As of March 1, the existing category system will be replaced by the traffic-light system adopted by the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), whereby countries are classed as green, orange or red, with an added grey category for arrivals requiring a special permit.

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EU member states and countries in the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) including Switzerland, will be sorted into the green, orange or red categories according to their epidemiological data.

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In addition, the ministry of health will be evaluating data from third countries (United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Belarus) as well as those flagged by the ECDC as third countries to determine the category they should be classed in.

From April 1 Serbia, Qatar, Bahrain, United States, Armenia and Georgia will be added to the list.

Countries not included in the above list will be placed in the grey category.

In simple terms, the new system will roughly correspond to the A-B-C system currently in place in Cyprus.

The new categories, which will go into effect on March 1, are as follows:

Green Category

This category will include countries deemed low-risk by the health ministry according to their epidemiological data.

From March 1-31, passengers coming from countries in the Green category will be entitled to a free PCR laboratory test covered by the government.

From April 1, there will be no restrictions.

Orange Category

Passengers coming from countries in the orange category will be required to have a laboratory test within 72 hours before departure and to have a certificate proving a negative PCR test.

Red Category

Passengers flying from countries in the red category will be required to have a PCR test up to 72 hours prior to departure for Cyprus, and will need to undergo a second PCR test upon arrival.

No self-isolation will be required for those with negative results.

Grey Category

This category will concern countries not included on ECDC lists and those with unreliable epidemiological data.

Individuals coming from countries in the grey category will need to obtain a special permit to enter Cyprus.

They would also be required to enter compulsory self-isolation in accordance with the ministry of health’s instructions.

Cypriot citizens, persons lawfully residing in the Republic of Cyprus and European citizens will be exempt from having to obtain a permit if flying from a country in this category.



The ministry of health will continue reviewing the epidemiological picture of different countries and updating the categories on a weekly basis, but until further announcement, the rules announced on Wednesday following the latest health assessment will stay in place.

All passengers regardless of category will be required to undergo a PCR laboratory test prior to their arrival in Cyprus.

Random testing at airports will continue for all categories.

Finally, the transport ministry said it was extending until March 31 the mandatory seven-day quarantine of arrivals from the United Kingdom at a facility under the supervision of health authorities. That practice has been in place for British arrivals since December.

Source https://cyprus-mail.com/2021/02/18/coro … t9ALIU9w8Q