Cyprus Mail 17 September 2021 - by Nick Theodoulou
Mandatory coronavirus tests for the vaccinated may return as the health ministry and its advisors prepare to deal with the winter months.
Local media reported that the criteria for the SafePass may be tweaked so that even people who are fully vaccinated may have to undergo rapid tests. Currently however signs are pointing towards a larger gap between the tests, if such a move were to pass, such as once a week or even once every 15 days.
The focus also seems set on the working population, with concerns over people who spend their time indoors. As such, mandatory rapid tests may be necessitated for those working in offices or similar settings.
Speaking to daily Phileleftheros, head of the advisory team Cosntantinos Tsioutis (Assistant Professor at the Medical School of the European University) said that the ministry is expecting higher transmission rates during the winter.
“Therefore, if we want our spaces to continue to operate with safety, meaning that we ensure the risk of transmission remains low, it is necessary to reconsider the policy of managing the entry of people into these spaces,” he said.
No decision has currently been reached but further meetings from the experts are expected in the coming days.
