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Health Minister: We must avoid a setback

01/03/2021 13:23

Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said that a setback must be avoided and urged people to adhere to measures in place, aiming to curb the spread of COVID-19, as further relaxations came into force on Monday.

“Today we are making one more step to lift restrictions” the Minister wrote in a Tweet, adding that the situation is under constant evaluation. “We must avoid a setback,” Ioannou added.
 
First and second grade Lyceum students in Cyprus return to class on Monday, while gyms, dance schools and other indoors sports centres, including swimming pools resume operations.  A ban in visits to homes for the elderly, training of teams and matches of all team sports in C Category is also lifted.
 
In particular, as of March 1st the first and second grade students of public and private lyceums and technical schools return to class, while conservatories, private lessons institutes, educational centres and other evening activities are allowed with the physical presence of up to two people, including the teacher. Visual arts spaces and galleries also open their doors in line with Health Ministry guidelines and protocol, gyms dance schools and other indoor sports centres, including swimming pools will also open on Monday, on the basis of directives and a protocol which will be issued by the Cyprus Sports Organisation (CSO).

Visits to home for the elderly will also be allowed in line with conditions defined by a Labour Ministry protocol, team sports training and matches of all team sports in Category C will also be allowed in line with the conditions in place for Category A and B and in accordance with Cyprus Football Association (CFA) and CSO. Protocols. Access to nature trails for exercise, street vendors and bazaars of products other than food will also be allowed.
 
A curfew from 9.00pm until 5.00am next morning remains in place, along with the need for people to send an sms to 8998 to ask for permission to leave their homes, twice a day.
 
The Ministry of Education announced on Sunday that Gymnasium students will return to their classes on Tuesday, March 16. A weekly negative rapid test will be required for the physical presence of Secondary education students in schools, for as long as this is necessary, the Ministry of Education said after consultations with the Ministry of Health. Presenting the test results will be mandatory from March 8 onwards, and parents are asked to give permission to their children, in order to do the test. Teachers and school staff are already required to present a similar test.