You are here

Flight connectivity between Cyprus and 19 countries resumes

25/05/2020 09:31

Cyprus on June 9 will reopen its airports for flights with 19 countries in a two-phase approach while hotels will open as of June 1, easing restrictions imposed in mid-March to prevent the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Yiannis Karousos has said.

The Council of Ministers approved the action plan submitted by the Ministerial Committee.

He said that the Health Ministry epidemiological unit has drafted two lists containing a total of 19 countries and a two-phase timeframe aiming to re-establish air connectivity with these countries. The first phase begins on June 9 until June 19 and the second begins on June 20 onwards.

The list of countries has been drafted after evaluating their epidemiological data.

The first list contains Greece, Malta, Bulgaria, Norway, Austria, Finland, Slovenia, Hungary, Israel, Denmark, Germany, Slovakia and Lithuania and the second includes Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Estonia and the Czech Republic.

Karousos said that in the first phase, from June 9 to June 19, passengers from the countries included in both lists will board the plane after presenting a negative Covid-19 test, taken from a certified lab three days before their departure.

Cypriot citizens and other permanent residents could take a test for Covid-19 on their arrival in Cyprus but will be required to stay in self-isolation until the test results are issued, Karousos added.

During the second phase starting on June 20, the Transport Minister said, passengers from Greece, Malta, Bulgaria, Norway, Austria, Finland, Slovenia, Hungary, Israel, Denmark, Germany, Slovakia and Lithuania (first list) will not be required to take a Covid-19 test, while foreign passengers from the second list will be called to present a negative test on the virus as applied in the first phase.

Furthermore, Karousos said that travel restrictions will continue to apply for countries not included in the two lists, except Cypriots, permanent residents or persons visiting Cyprus after a special permit.

They will be called on to present a negative Covid-19 test issued by a certified lab and taken three days before their departure or they could take a test on their arrival. However, they will be called to remain quarantine for 14 days, he added.

Furthermore, Karousos said the epidemiological unit continues evaluating the epidemiological data and will include more countries in the two lists accordingly.

The Minister also announced that as of 06:00 local time on Monday, May 25, will mark the termination of mandatory quarantine for all person in self-isolation in designated areas who will be allowed to return to their homes where they will complete the remainder of self-isolation period.

Persons returning to Cyprus after May 25 and until June 8 will be called to take a test for Covid-19 and will be requested to remain in quarantine in designated location for one day or until the test results are issued and will be allowed to return to their homes and remain in self-isolation for seven days if they return from countries included in the first list or fourteen days if they return from countries included in the second list.