Filenews 9 July 2021
Re-instructions for the management of cases and close contacts, sent by the Ministry of Health.
Specifically, people who are positive for the virus remain restricted for 14 days and are NOT released earlier even if they undergo PCR with a negative result. The release on the 7th day with a negative result from PCR applies ONLY to close contacts.
In addition, it is recalled that citizens who are positive for the virus should, as soon as they are informed by the clinical laboratory/individual who carried out their examination, isolate themselves and contact their close contacts until the Tracing Team contacts them.
Analytically:
- Management of positive incidents:
By announcing the positive result after a rapid antigen test or PCR test, the virus positive person must:
- put directly into self-contained control,
- inform the Doctor's Staff,
- inform his close contacts, employer, school, camp, etc., and
- is waiting for a call from the Ministry of Health.
It is understood that he should not visit any other rapid test sampling point for retesting, as there is a risk of spreading the virus to other bystanders. Please note that the results from the rapid test sampling points are notified to the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit after the tests have been completed and communication by the Tracing Team is made as soon as possible.
The person who has a positive result receives SMS with the Self-Isolation Guidelines for confirmed cases of COVID19.pdf (pio.gov.cy) on the mobile phone that he declared during his examination within 24 hours with a prerequisite that it has been declared to the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Health. The virus positive person must follow the self-isolation instructions he receives.
In the instructions he receives there is also a relevant table that can indicate his close contacts and send them by email to contacttracing@moh.gov.cy. Close contacts receive instructions and their sampling is planned after being declared by the positive case.
The Personal Physician is responsible for monitoring the health of his patients/beneficiaries and releasing confirmed cases, in accordance with the release protocol and no earlier than 14 days after the diagnosis or onset of symptoms. Persons who do not have a Personal Physician are released from the release team of the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit. With their release, all cases receive a text message indicating the day of release and can be used as a Safe Pass. In addition to their release (14 days after the positive result), people who tested positive for the crown can issue a European Digital Recovery Certificate to travel within the European Union via the https://www.eudcc.gov.cy/.
Sick leave is given by the Personal Physician.
When the positive case is contacted by the Tracing Team by telephone, data will be requested that will be used confidentially exclusively to identify the source of infection of the positive case, identify its contacts and understand the virus.
For general information positive cases can call 1474, while for reporting worsening symptoms, medical assessment, need to be transferred to a hospital can call 1420.
For matters related to the tracing process, communication is made by telephone at 22771923 or electronically at the e-contacttracing2@moh.gov.cy.
For release issues, positive cases can be contacted by the Release Team at covidfollowup@moh.gov.cy.
If someone has been diagnosed positive for coronavirus and has not received a text message with the instructions within 24 hours, they should contact the laboratory or the individual who carried out the test and make sure that their positive incident has been reported and that the contact details kept by the laboratory are correct (e.g. wrong telephone number).
It is understood that if the positive results are not declared by the laboratory or the person who carried out the examination at the Ministry of Health, the positive incident will not be able to receive the required instructions, to monitor the course of his health, to declare his contacts, but also to receive all the supporting documents that he is entitled to with his release (e.g. SafePass, EU Digital Covid Certificate).
Cases with positive coronavirus tests, which have completed their vaccination, follow the procedure normally and are not excluded from self-limit.
- Manage close case contacts:
Close contacts are determined by specific criteria according to the following:
- Person living with a confirmed case,
- Person who has had direct physical contact with a confirmed case (e.g. handshake),
- Person who has had unguarded contact with infectious secretions of a confirmed case (e.g. saliva),
- Person who has had face-to-face contact with a confirmed case less than 2 metres away and with a duration of more than 15 minutes,
- Person found indoors (e.g. classroom, cinema, hospital waiting areas, etc. with confirmed case for over 15 minutes and at a distance of less than 2 meters,
- A health professional or other person providing health care in a COVID-19 case, or laboratory staff who have handled a confirmed case sample without using appropriate protective equipment or if there is a breach in its integrity, and
- Travelling on an aircraft, persons travelling together or caring for the patient, crew members who served the part of the aeroplane where the patient was sitting (possibly all passengers sitting on the same part of the plane and even all passengers on the flight can be considered as close contacts if due to the existence of serious symptoms of the patient and movements of the patient on board the aircraft entails more extensive exposure).
By updating the positive incident, the case is asked to indicate the contacts it had two days before the onset of symptoms or two days before the test (in case of asymptomatic cases). This data is collected and managed in accordance with confidentiality principles and is used only for the purpose of tracing and ensuring public health after approval by the Privacy Commissioner.
Close contacts undergo a free MOLECULAR TEST (PCR test) after arranging an appointment by the Public Health Clinics which is scheduled as soon as possible and at the same time receives instructions via text message for self-regulation. Close contacts are placed in mandatory self-restriction for 14 days from their last contact with the case (contact day is defined as day zero).
Close contacts can be released earlier ONLY with negative PCR on the 7th day from any approved laboratory at their own expense.
Release on the 7th day with negative PCR applies only to close contacts and not to positive cases .
If close contacts are not isolated from the positive case (e.g. mothers with children, or dependents with their caregivers), then the start day of their isolation is extended according to the day of release of the positive case, since until the last day before its release the positive person is potentially contagious.
Close contacts are not released by their Personal Physician, but will at the end of the days described above. Persons who have been declared close contacts are entitled to a certificate of special leave on grounds of Public Health which can be presented to their work and compensated by the Department of Social Insurance through an application. In order to obtain this certificate, it must necessarily be declared from the confirmed case.
Employers or health and health officials or local infection committees are responsible for tracing and reporting close contacts within workplaces contacttracing@moh.com.cy, nursing homes, nursing homes, military bases and detention centres for migrants and refugees.
It is understood that close contacts are not allowed to visit rapid test sampling points, as there is a risk of spreading the virus to other bystanders and they will have to wait for information from the Public Health Clinics to schedule appointments.
Any citizen who develops symptoms compatible with COVID19 disease (Cough, Fever, Dyspnea, Sudden onset of anosmia, anaesthesia or dysgeusia, headache, chills, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhoea) should contact the Physician's Staff for PCR assessment and planning (molecular examination) via an electronic platform in Public Health Clinics if necessary.
The exception of self-limit as close contacts is granted to persons who:
- have been diagnosed as positive cases with PCR or rapid antigen test within 180 days, or
- have completed their vaccination regimen with any vaccine recognised by the Republic of Cyprus. It is understood that for monodosal vaccines, a period of 14 days must be passed from the dose.
However, all close contacts (including those excluded from self-regulation) should be reported from the case through the appropriate route to schedule their sampling by the Coordination of Public Health Clinics.
Citizens can contact 1474 for general information on COVID-19, or on matters relating to the tracing process by telephone at 22771923 or electronically at contacttracing2@moh.gov.cy.
Employers' obligations are in the current https://www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/pdf/erg20.pdf and can contact the health services of the Ministry of Health for clarification.
For complaints of self-contained infringements or close contact, citizens can call 1460, 22606803, 22606789.
More information on Decrees and Protocols can be found at www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/
The police of Cyprus are in the custody of all the above.
Cna
