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A. Movement:
1. What are the curfew hours?
Movement continues to be
prohibited from 9 in the evening until 5 in the morning of the following day.
2. Under which circumstances is one allowed to move during
curfew hours (9 in the evening to 5 in the morning of the next day)?
The movement of persons during
curfew hours continues to be permitted for the following reasons:
For purposes of moving to and from workplaces, with the
presentation of Form A, completed and signed by the employer, which certifies the
necessity for the movement during the aforementioned hours.
For urgent purposes, such as to go to a medical centre or a hospital or a pharmacy
or a veterinarian for medical emergencies and to render assistance to people
who are unable to care for themselves or who need to self -isolate.
3. How many times per day will movement by exception be
permitted?
Movement by exception will be
permitted twice a day by sending a text message to 8998 for the reasons cited
in question 5. Persons over the age of 65 may use Form B for their movement
by exception.
It is clarified that for
purposes of moving to and from work for work purposes no text message is
required, but the employee must present Form A, signed by his/her employer.
4. How many categories for movement by exception are there via a
text message?
Category 9 is added, for
movement by exception via a text message. Category 9 concerns movement in
order to visit barbershops, hair salons, and beauty salons.
5. What changes in the remaining categories for movement by
exception via a text message, from 1 February?
According to the decisions,
movement to visit a 1st degree or 2nd degree relative
is added to Category 5, with a maximum of two (2) persons. Defined as 1st
degree and 2nd degree relatives are parents, children, spouses,
father/ mother in-law, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, son/ daughter
in-law, brother/ sister in-law.
In parallel, movement for personal exercise
purposes in nature trails, as defined by the Forest Department, is excluded from
Category 6.
All other categories remain the
same.
6. Is movement between Districts allowed?
Yes, movement between Districts
is permitted provided that the purpose for which the movement takes place
falls within the points of use of a text message, which normally does not
exceed three (3) hours.
B. Social gatherings:
7. Are social gatherings at residences allowed?
Social gatherings at residences
are forbidden, with
the exception of visits of up to two (2) persons provided that they are 1st
degree or 2nd degree relatives. It is understood
that no meal/dinner may be held in houses for weddings and christenings.
At the same time, going to a
house is permitted for the purpose of:
- caring
for minors and disabled persons for the period/duration where the
physical presence of parents/guardians is necessary in their workplace
(e.g., nursery staff, childminders, guardians, caregivers, etc.).
- providing
assistance to people who are unable to take care of themselves
(medication, care of individuals, food supply, etc.). It is understood
that such persons should take all personal protective measures and
remain only for a reasonable period of time necessary for the care of
the individual, so that they do not endanger him/her.
- work
by professionals such as electricians, plumbers, housekeepers,
gardeners, painters, etc., as well as health professionals
(physiotherapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, community
nurses, etc) only for the reasonable time needed to carry out their
work.
8. Are gatherings allowed in public and private meeting places?
Access to and social gatherings in public and private
meeting areas are prohibited, namely squares, parks, dams, excursion sites, marinas,
beaches, pedestrian streets, etc.
Access is only allowed to parks, linear parks and beaches,
exclusively for physical exercise purposes.
9. Is access to nature trails, as defined by the Forest
Department, allowed?
Access to nature trails is prohibited, for
purposes of personal exercise, as well as for other purposes, with effect
from the date of the issuance of the Decree.
C. Sports:
10. In what instances is physical exercise/training allowed?
Physical exercise/training is
permitted in areas where access is allowed in accordance with the decree in
force. Specifically, access
is allowed to parks, linear parks and beaches only for physical
exercise or individual sport purposes.
Persons are allowed to move for physical exercise or individual
sport in parks, linear parks and beaches only, provided that they send an SMS message
to 8998 while selecting the option number 6, comply with the maximum time
frame allowed (3 hours), and ensure that participants in the training do not exceed two persons, excluding
underage children.
As regards parks, linear parks and beaches,
it is noted that people
are allowed to be present there for no other reason besides exercise.
It is underlined that in areas
where people are present in order to work out, no socialization is allowed among
persons who do not reside in the same residence.
It is noted that with regard to
the right to perform physical exercise on the beach, persons are allowed to
go to the beaches of the District where they permanently reside (primary
residence). Excluded from this are persons who reside in a District without
access to the beach, namely the District of Lefkosia, who are allowed to
travel to beaches in other Districts in order to work out, within the
reasonable time frame of three hours.
It is understood that those
persons wishing to leave their house in order to work out, are allowed to do
so, provided that they send an SMS message to 8998 while selecting the option
number 6 and comply with the maximum time frame allowed (3 hours).
D. Attending religious services:
11. Are sacred temples/places of religious worship permitted to
operate?
The Divine Liturgy in sacred
temples/religious places of worship is
performed without the presence of believers. As of 8 February, the presence of
congregants in places of religious worship is permitted, with a maximum number of 50 people,
provided that they comply with the health protocols.
It is clarified that up until 7 February, congregants can
go to religious places of worship for individual prayer,
(simultaneous physical presence of up to 10 persons per religious place),
provided that the observance of the health protocols (distances, masks,
maximum number of persons) will be ensured.
It is clarified that the presence of congregants in the
courtyard of temples/religious places of worship is prohibited.
E. Business/Services:
12. Which businesses reopen as of 1st February?
As of Monday, 1st February,
hair salons, barbershops, beauty salons and driving schools reopen.
13. Who should undergo a mandatory rapid antigen test, according
to the Decree?
According to the Decree, all
employees in businesses reactivated from 1st February should undergo a rapid
antigen test by 31 January.
14. Where can I do a rapid antigen test, if I work in a business
that is reactivated?
For the benefit of employees,
the Ministry of Health provides free antigen tests in all districts. The
locations and hours of operation of the test units will be announced on a
daily basis by the Ministry of Health.
15. How long is the rapid test result valid for? Should it be
repeated by employees?
The result of the rapid test is valid for seven (7)
days unless, in the meantime, a person develops symptoms or
is classified as a contact and should therefore follow the protocol defined
by the Epidemiological Monitoring Unit.
The employer/business has the
responsibility of coordinating repeat checks for employees, so that at any
time and on a weekly basis they have a rapid test, as defined below:
—
Businesses/services employing up to 3 people, all employees should be tested
—
Businesses/services employing between 4 and 10 people, tests should be
carried out on at least 4 employees.
—
Businesses/services employing more than 10 people, tests should be carried
out on at least 4 people or 20 % of employees, whichever is larger in number.
16. How will private service businesses operate?
As of 1st February the physical
presence percentage of employees increases from 25 % to 50 %, with a minimum
of 5 employees, if the employer so wishes, and without a limit to the maximum
number of employees.
It is noted that if a business
operates in more than one building, the physical presence is permitted of a
maximum of 50% of the employees working in each building.
For businesses that are
co-located in the same premises, the physical presence is permitted of a
maximum of 50% of the employees of each legal entity (namely, of each
business).
The rest of the staff will work
through telework at home.
17. How are service businesses affected by the rapid test
employee control programme?
Employees who will return to
work on 1st February, as a result of the increase in the physical presence
percentage from 25% to 50% must undergo a rapid antigen test by 31
January.
At the same time, the employer
should ensure the mandatory weekly check as described in question 16.
18. What are the service hours of food retailers for people over
65 and people with disabilities?
Pharmacies, supermarkets,
mini-markets, fruit shops, butcher shops, fish mongers and grocery stores
from the start of operation until 9 am, will serve only people over the age
of 65 and people with disabilities.
19. What applies to the operation of car wash services?
Car wash services will operate
for indoor and outdoor washing of vehicles.
EH/MPO
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