The Cypriot authorities have once again announced the tightening of antiquated measures. In the period from January 4 to January 15, in order to enter the country, foreign citizens must provide the results of a PCR test for coronavirus, made no later than 48, and not 72 hours before boarding a flight. The head of the Ministry of Health of the republic, Michalis Hadjipantelas, told the journalists about this.
The official recalled that the requirement to retest travelers at the air harbor upon arrival also remains in force. It does not matter whether a foreigner is vaccinated against COVID-19 or not. The cost of the procedure is 15 euros.
In addition, access to entertainment venues will be possible only for vaccinated visitors who will be able to present a PCR test done in the last 24 hours. The rule does not apply to local citizens and tourists who have a revaccination document.
As explained in the Ministry of Health, this decision was made in connection with a sharp increase in cases of COVID-19 in the republic. During the last week, more than 3 thousand people were diagnosed with infection every day.
The situation is aggravated by a new strain of coronavirus. “Omicron has already been found in the country, and it is expected that this will further complicate our epidemiological picture,” explained Michalis Hadjipantelas. He also added that many bars and restaurants do not respect the restrictions. In this regard, the authorities had to tighten the requirements.