Filenews 25 January 2021
There is a great deal of concern in the Member States of the European Union, including Cyprus, as an epidemiological burden is expected in the next 6 to 12 weeks in the Member States due to the increased communicability and aggressive spread of the new strain of coronavirus.
In a communication, the Ministry of Health, on the occasion of the announcements from various EU Member States, on the new strain of the virus, which had originally occurred in the United Kingdom and has now been detected in most EU states, as has already been pointed out in statements by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as by officials from various countries, assures that strict controls are observed at Larnaca and Paphos airports, as are the European Commission's calls for stricter controls at airports in the Member States.
According to the ministry responsible, last week, the exhortation to the states from the Commission was to limit travel to what is absolutely necessary.
As the President of the European Commission has said, Member States should implement measures to prevent border closures, but also a future lockdown.
Among these measures are increased laboratory checks at the entrance gates and the restriction of passengers mainly from the United Kingdom, where the outbreak of the new strain is located.
As the Ministry of Health notes on the basis of the categorization of countries implemented by Cyprus, since last August all passengers from the United Kingdom have to submit a negative test of 72 hours before their arrival in Cyprus, while there are increased sample laboratory checks at Larnaca and Paphos airports on passengers from England.
In addition, from 21 December 2020 England is in Category C, which means that certain categories of citizens, such as Cypriot citizens, permanent residents, etc., can come to the country, while all flights from Great Britain are tested on arrival and passengers are taken to hotels in the Republic, for mandatory isolation of seven days.
In the meantime, he adds that a second test is carried out on the sixth day after arrival and then those who have a negative result are taken home for self-contained purposes, until 10 days are completed.
Moreover, these recommendations seem to be adopted one by one by the Member States, since, for example, France has announced that a negative test is required, while Belgium, in addition to the negative test to be carried out by passengers from the United Kingdom (72 hours in the morning), has announced that PCR tests will be carried out on arrival of passengers and on the 7th day, and a self-limit of 10 days should be observed.
