In view of the increase in passenger traffic at the airports of the Republic, due to the summer tourist season, attention is focused on minimizing the possibility of the introduction of virus mutations in the community of Cyprus. The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) is urging states to implement measures to limit the spread of the disease due to the aggressive contagion and the serious illness caused by the British and Indian strains, especially to younger people. In line with the ECDC recommendations and the measures taken at national level, it is recalled that the following are in force at the gates of Cyprus, inter alia:
1. Categorization of countries in Green, Orange, Red and Gray Category according to their epidemiological picture.
2. From Gray Country countries, only certain categories of citizens are allowed to enter.
3. Prerequisites for entering the country:
- Presentation of a vaccination certificate (completion of a vaccination regimen) and two weeks after the last dose, either
- Submission of a negative result from PCR test, as follows:
- Orange Countries (eg United Kingdom, United States of America, Italy, Germany, etc.): certificate from a PCR test with a negative result, with the sampling taking place 72 hours before departure.
- Red Category Countries (eg Russia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Greece, France, Spain, etc.): certificates from two PCR tests with negative result, with sampling completed within 72 hours. Individuals must remain self-limiting until the outcome of 2 is issuedth test
- Gray Category countries: certificates from two PCR tests with negative result, with sampling completed within 72 hours. Individuals are required to remain in mandatory self-restraint or isolation for 14 days or 7 days if they undergo a PCR test again onη day with a negative result.
4. In the case of arrivals from India (Gray Category), and due to the extremely aggravated epidemiological situation caused in the country due to the Indian mutation, the following applies:
- Persons who during the last 14 days before their arrival have stayed or passed through the territory of India are prohibited from entering, regardless of whether they hold a valid entry and / or residence permit in Cyprus. Exceptions are Cypriot citizens, citizens of EU and EEA countries and third-country nationals residing exclusively in areas under the control of the Republic.
- provide a certificate from a PCR test with a negative result, with the sampling having taken place 72 hours before departure.
- Persons exempted from the entry ban are transferred to hotels and / or tourist accommodation, where they remain under mandatory restraint for a period of 10 days from the date of arrival and undergo a laboratory examination and are released from mandatory restraint if they have a negative effect.
- Regardless of the category of the country of arrival, sampling laboratory tests are performed at Larnaca and Paphos Airports on passengers who do not have a vaccination certificate.
However, despite the measures taken, the possibility of introducing mutations cannot be completely ruled out. According to international research, the Indian strain is most often detected in younger people, who due to their intense activity and mobility have increased exposure to the virus and therefore to the effects that the infection may cause. The scientific community points out that the only way to control the spread of virus strains in the community is to speed up vaccination programs, so that as soon as possible there is immunity in the population and to prevent the emergence of new strains with more aggressive characteristics.