Cyprus is requesting tests in Japan and Malta from today

Coronavirus, airport, countries

After re-evaluating the epidemiological picture of the various countries, the Ministry of Health decided in the previous days, the degradation of the following countries:

Japan is relegated from Class A to Class B.
Australia is relegated from Class B to Class C.
Spain is relegated from Category B to Category C.
Malta is relegated from Category A to Category C.
The above changes are valid from today, Thursday, August 20th.

Category A - Low risk countries at this stage
• Member States of the European Union: 1) Austria, 2) Germany, 3) Denmark, 4) Estonia, 5) Ireland, 6) Latvia, 7) Lithuania, 8) Hungary, 9) Slovakia, 10) Slovenia, 11) Finland
• Members of the Schengen Area: 1) Switzerland, 2) Iceland, 3) Liechtenstein, 4) Norway 
• Third Countries: 1) Georgia, 2) Canada, 3) New Zealand, 4) South Korea, 5) Thailand

Countries with a true reproductive number (Rt) of less than 1 and / or a small number of new diagnoses (<1 / 100,000 inhabitants per day) and / or low or very low COVID19 mortality (3000 tests / 100,000 inhabitants) are classified in this category. 

Please note that for passengers from Category A countries, a laboratory test certificate is not required. COVID-19 but neither is self-restraint.

Category B - Countries with potentially low risk but with greater doubt compared to Category A
• Member States of the European Union: 1) Belgium, 2) France, 3) Greece, 4) Italy, 5) Croatia, 6) The Netherlands, 7) Poland, 8) Portugal, 9) Czech Republic 
•United Kingdom 
• Small states: 1) Andorra, 2) Monaco, 3) Vatican City, 4) San Marino 
• Third Countries: 1) Rwanda, 2) Tunisia, 3) Uruguay, 4) China, 5) Japan

Countries with a true reproductive number (Rt) greater than 1 and / or a number of new diagnoses> 1 / 100,000 inhabitants per day and / or increased mortality are classified in this category. COVID-19 (> 10 / 100,000 inhabitants) and / or limited laboratory testing (<2000 tests / 100,000 inhabitants) or lack of WHO classification.

It is noted that passengers coming from Category B countries are required to have a laboratory test no later than 72 hours before departure and to have a Certificate, which proves a negative PCR test for the virus. 

It is also clarified that passengers from category B countries falling into the following categories may undergo the molecular examination upon arrival in the Republic: 
a) Cypriot citizens and members of their families (their foreign spouses, minor children and their parents), 
b) all legally resident in the Republic, 
(c) persons entitled under the Vienna Convention; 
d) persons regardless of nationality, in the country of residence of which no laboratory analysis service is provided (public or private), to those who wish to travel to the Republic of Cyprus and upon relevant announcement. 

It is noted that the cost of the examination is covered by them and in addition these people should remain under house arrest until the result is issued. 

Category C - Countries at increased risk compared to categories A and B.
• Member States of the European Union: 1) Bulgaria, 2) Sweden, 3) Luxembourg, 4) Romania, 5) Spain, 6) Malta
• Third Countries: 1) Algeria, 2) Serbia, 3) Morocco, 4) Montenegro, 5) Australia
This category includes those countries that are not included in categories A or B. Some of the countries at high risk according to their epidemiological picture are listed above. 

According to the Decontamination Decree (No. 30) of 2020, only certain categories of citizens who are able to choose to undergo a diagnostic test for the disease are allowed to enter the Republic from category C countries. COVID-19 upon arrival in Cyprus or have an RT-PCR certificate with them COVID-19 with a negative result no later than 72 hours before departure. It is noted that these individuals should remain in self-restraint for 14 days. Relevant health instructions can be found at the link here.

It is emphasized that all passengers, regardless of country category, are required to apply for CyprusFlightPass within 24 hours before the departure of their flight. In addition, for the purposes of ensuring Public Health and surveillance of the epidemiological picture, a sampling laboratory molecular test will be performed. COVID-19 to passengers of selected flights to arrive.

Source: alphanews