The latest announcement bring the number of total coronavirus cases in Cyprus to 1,114, deaths 19.
Cyprus on Friday made mask-wearing compulsory at all indoor public spaces to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus after a small flare-up over the past few days. Violators will be fined up to €300. This is what Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou announced at the Presidential Palace after a morning meeting with the team of scientific advisors. The meeting was in the presence of President Nicos Anastasiades. Ioannou announced additional preventive measures that will come in effect as of midnight on Friday, including the fact that 1000 tests daily will be carried out at airports – not just 600 as it was the case until now. The sample tests will focus on repatriated Cypriots, he added. Also, total respect of hygiene rules by visitors to nursing homes should be observed and the restriction to 50% occupancy is restored to mass attracting venues. The Minister also pledged intensified controls in restaurants and bars with zero tolerance, especially in coastal Limassol where an alarming number of cases was recorded over the past week. Social gathering in the coastal city are again restricted to 10 people only. And only 75 people indoors and 150 outdoors will be allowed at its nightclubs. The restriction to 75 people applies to churches as well. The stricter measures for Limassol will be valid for three weeks.
The government decided on Friday additional measures to stop the spreading of the corona virus, due to the dangerous outbreak with unpredictable consequences, which are the result of complacency, President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiades has said, pointing out that non-compliance with these measures will lead to stricter measures with dangerous financial repercussions. “I call on everyone to respect what our people with sacrifices have achieved, to responsibly observe the decisions of the government, which are based on the recommendations of the World Health Organisation and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, as well as the excellent scientific team that advises the government,” President Anastasiades says in a written statement. He notes that “it is with great concern that the government decided today on additional measures to stop the spreading of the corona virus in our country.” “The international recognition that our country successfully addressed the pandemic was a result not only of the measures the government took with determination, but also the responsibility and cooperation of the citizens. The good results, unfortunately, despite the repeated statements of both the government and the scientific team that the virus still remains among us, lead to complacency, resulting in a dangerous outbreak with unpredictable consequences,” he says. President Anastasiades points out that “non-compliance with the measures the government has announced today will lead to the unwanted by all taking of further strict measures, in order to protect the health of the citizens, with, however, dangerous financial repercussions.”
The Ministry of Health announced that as from August 22 and up until September 15 the maximum number of people sitting at an outdoors wedding or baptism dinner is 350 (excluding Limassol as per above). The Ministry also reminded that, up until August 21, the maximum number of people allowed at weddings, concerts and other outdoor mass events is 250. As for concerts, these are only allowed at open-air amphitheatres and not in any other outdoor spaces like stadiums. And provided that all instructions set out in the Protocol for the operation of outdoor amphitheatres are strictly observed.
The Health Ministry on Monday announced that the United Kingdom is upgraded to Category B as from August 1, following an assessment of the countries’ Covid-19 risk. All passengers arriving from Category B countries are required to present a negative test result taken at least 72 hours before departure. And, regardless of nationality, they are required to apply for permission from https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/ within 24 hours prior to their departure for Cyprus. The decision is in line with what was announced 10 days ago, with plans for the UK to be in category B on August 1, the Ministry also said. It then clarified that passengers from Category B countries that come under the following categories can carry out the molecular test upon arrival in the Republic:
Cypriot citizens and members of their family (foreign spouses, under-aged children and their parents)
All who are legal citizens of the Republic of Cyprus
Persons who are entitled under the Vienna Convention
Persons, irrespective of nationality, who are entitled to enter the Republic following permission granted under the Decree on Deinfection (Definition of Measures for Preventing the Spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 Decree) of 2020.
Persons, irrespective of nationality, whose country of permanent residence does not provide a Service (private or public) for clinical tests to those wishing to travel to the Republic of Cyprus.
The government on Friday announced that it would accept negative coronavirus test certificates issued by the British NHS from passengers arriving from the UK. Following days of confusion, the transport ministry issued a statement clarifying that if passengers from the UK hold an ‘NHS Covid-19 notification’ they need to submit it along with their appointment confirmation email.
With hotels almost empty, recovery for the tourism industry is estimated to take about three years, the Cyprus Hotel Association said on Thursday. “The decreased tourism flow led to an especially difficult period for the industry” head of the Cyprus Hotel Association Philokypros Roussounides told in an interview. “This year we have about 40 per cent fewer customers” said the marketing operation assistant manager of Ajax hotel in Limassol, Stephanie Lambouri. “We would certainly benefit from additional support from the state, should it be forthcoming,” she added. “The effects of the crisis will continue unabated as the tourism industry was perhaps the one most affected industry by Covid-19.” Roussounides explained that a weak hotel industry affects the whole of Cyprus tourism. “It is a chain reaction. If there are no hotels to hosts tourists, then restaurants also won’t have clients, nor will car rentals, taxis, etc.” “Some businesses will face closure unless the moratorium on loan payments continues through next year and gives hotels the opportunity to recover,” he insisted. That would give hoteliers enough time to generate cash to keep their businesses alive, he added. It is important for Cyprus hoteliers to be financially independent, so that they do not have to accept low offers by travel agencies, Roussanides said. “Travel agencies will start planning ahead for the summer in September. If the economy is still struggling, they will offer low deposits and hotels will not be able to provide the same quality of services,” he added. Less than 20 per cent of hotels island wide will remain open in August. In July, in Paphos, 54 out of a total of 102 Paphos hotels opened, and these were less than 10 per cent full, according to the Paphos Hotel Association. while the upcoming months are expected to be worse. About 100,000 tourists are expected in August according to Deputy Minister for Tourism Savvas Perdios. This is down from 600,000 arrivals in the same month last year. The key missing element is tourists from the UK, who account for about one-third of all Cyprus tourism.
US Ambassador in Nicosia Judith Garber has handed over donated consumables and protective equipment to Cyprus Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou to help in the island’s effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic. Receiving Thursday’s donation Ioannou expressed readiness if it is necessary to support the United States and to contribute to the international effort to stem the health crisis, a press release by the Minsty also said. On her part, Garber congratulated the government of Cyprus on the remarkable way in controlling the pandemic. The phenomena we are witnessing in countries abroad and the cases reported on the island constitute proof that we will be dealing with this challenge for some time yet, she noted. It is for this reason, in the context of the friendship between the two states that the US Embassy offers a quantity of consumables and protective equipment to the Ministry of Health, she said among other things. She also announced that this is the first of many donations that will follow and will enhance cooperation between the two countries in dealing with the pandemic, the press release concludes.
