in-cyprus 25 May 2020 -Bouli Hadjioannou
With the scrapping of compulsory quarantine for repatriations as of today, the Health Ministry has clarified the new rules for all those who will be returning to Cyprus from today through to June 8.
The decision to scrap mandatory quarantine was taken by cabinet last Friday following a proposal by the Health Ministry which cited the favourable epidemiological situation in Cyprus. A factor in the decision was the fact that further than those who had tested positive on arrival, only two of the 7500 in total who had repatriated had exhibited symptoms and tested positive for Covid-19 while in 14 day quarantine.
However, in view of the request of a number of people who had arrived in Cyprus under the previous decree, it was decided that those already in quarantine who would normally have left today will be given the option to finish their 14 day quarantine at the hotels stipulated by the deputy ministry of tourism if they so wish.
Alternatively, those who have the right conditions to self-isolate at home must on returning home remain in self-isolation pending the completion of the 14 days since their arrival in Cyprus.
Those arriving from today through to June 8 will undergo a test on arrival and will be taken to hotel until the result.
If the result is positive, they will have the option either to be taken to Eden Resort, Wellness, Rehabilitation Centre or to remain in home isolation — a provision which applies for each coronavirus case detected from all the programmes — and will be monitored by their personal doctor.
If the result is negative, they will remain in self-isolation for the duration provided by the protocols.
Finally, people deemed by the protocols for tracing to be close contacts of the positive cases, will remain at hotels to be selected by the deputy tourism ministry for an additional two days and will undergo another test to establish whether they have contracted the virus from their contact with the positive case during the repatriation procedure.
If they test negative a second time, they will return home and complete the 14 days in self-isolation.
