Filenews 12 February 2021 - by Despina Psyllaou
Draconian measures for travellers have been announced by overseas countries, including the UK, which warns offenders of hefty fines of up to £10,000 (€11,390) as well as a 10-year jail term. At the same time, it imposes a 10-day hotel quarantine, an amount that travellers themselves will have to pay. A different attitude is maintained by Cyprus, which chooses for the opening of its skies laxity, absence of quarantine and colours of the countries of attendance depending on their epidemiological situation. In fact, from 1 March it is implementing an Action Plan to resume flights, ensuring that for 56 countries there will be no quarantine in any category (green, orange and red) if they fall.
In particular, the UK, from 15 February in an attempt to stem the pandemic, will require travellers arriving from countries where new strains of coronavirus are spreading, to pay out of pocket hotels to stay in a 10-day quarantine. Those who violate the decision will face hefty fines and even prison sentences.
The health minister, Matt Hancock, said recently that those who break the regulations would be at risk of imprisonment and a fine of up to £10,000 (€11,390). "Anyone who lies on the passenger tracking form and tries to conceal that he was in a country on the "red list" 10 days before his arrival here will face up to 10 years in prison," Matt Hancock said. Countries on the "red list" include South Africa, Portugal, the United Arab Emirates and much of South America.
British and Irish nationals arriving in England who have been in high-risk countries in the past 10 days will have to pay £1,750 (€1,990) to cover the cost of at least 10 days of hotel quarantine. All those arriving in the UK will also be subjected to further tests on the Covid-19 on the second and eighth days of their quarantine, he said, except for the one test before their departure is already required.
Not a single restriction on the green category
On the other side of the sea, Cyprus is proceeding with great slackness. As the Minister of Transport, Giannis Karousos, had clarified about the plan for the categorization of countries to be implemented in Cyprus:
>> In the green category there will be no restrictions.
>> The orange category will require negative PCR laboratory analysis within 72 hours prior to departure.
>> Double laboratory analysis, i.e. negative PCR laboratory analysis within 72 hours prior to departure and another PCR laboratory analysis upon arrival in Cyprus, will be required in category red. Self-restriction or quarantine measures do not apply to this category.
>> In the Special License category (grey) passengers will be required to provide a LABORATORY PCR analysis within 72 hours prior to departure. In this category, self-restriction/quarantine measures will apply which will also be in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health.
It is recalled that in an interview last Tuesday with "F", Mr Karusos reiterated that for 56 countries it is ensured that there will be no quarantine in any of the three categories and whether they will fall. For these 56 countries the maximum categorization in which they can be found is red, ensuring the continuity of air connectivity with Cyprus.
These are the Member States of the EU, the European Economic Area including the United Kingdom and Switzerland, countries that fall on the list of the recommendation of third countries of the European Council and nine third countries: Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Belarus. Their categorization will be based on the weekly report/evaluation of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Cyprus Ministry of Health will only assess the countries for which there will be no ECDC evaluation.
