Paphos People

The ban on the entry of unvaccinated people to restaurants, cafes, bars and nightclubs will reportedly be lifted, with cabinet expected to announce relaxations of the coronavirus measures after its meeting today.

People without a coronavirus vaccine will also be able to attend events such as weddings, baptisms, visit stadiums, theatres and cinemas, according to a proposal, the approval of which is considered certain, Cyprus News Agency reported.

What remains to be decided is whether entry will be allowed upon presentation of a 24- or a 48-hour negative test.

Entry to the above places is only allowed to people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine and present a negative 72-hour PCR or 48-hour rapid test. The unvaccinated have been denied entry to these places since mid-December.

Dancing is also expected to be allowed, while the cabinet is also expected to increase the maximum number of people permitted in nightclubs, following consultations with business club owners. There have been reports about the possibility of having testing units outside nightclubs for the unvaccinated.

More people will also be allowed in social gatherings, as the maximum number of customers able to sit together at a table will be increased from 8 to 12 and the number allowed in a house from 10 to 20.

Regarding workplaces, the available information suggests there will be a reduction of the percentage of remote workers from the current 50 per cent to 25 per cent.

The test to stay policy, which has been implemented in schools and the national guard, allowing people who were close contacts to undergo testing for seven consecutive days instead of to self-isolating, is to be extended to the entire public service.

The controversial measure was already extended to health professionals, fire service and police but has not been put into force yet.

These measures were discussed at a meeting, early on Tuesday, between Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas and the scientific advisory team.

https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/02/15/club-and-restaurant-ban-on-unvaxxed-to-be-lifted/

_________________
Dave
Moira And Dave

“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”

The ban on the entry of unvaccinated people to restaurants, cafés, bars and nightclubs will be lifted as of next week while dancing will also be allowed, cabinet decided on Tuesday as part of relaxations to the coronavirus measures.

Speaking after the meeting, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas said the relaxations were decided following a stabilisation in the epidemiological indicators in recent days that has led to decreased pressure on the health system.

But any decisions must be taken gradually to avoid a possible surge in cases, he added, explaining “the epidemiological situation can change at any moment”.

He said the island had “withstood the attacks of the deadly virus with sacrifices, with restrictions to our daily lives, with changes in our habits and certainly with losses for some that cannot be replaced”.

The important thing, he said, is that “we have succeeded through everyone’s efforts” to keep the schools open as well as businesses during the Christmas holidays”.

Cabinet decided people who have not had a coronavirus vaccine will also be able to attend events such as weddings, baptisms, visit stadiums, theatres, cinemas and stay at hotels and other tourist accommodations. Entry will be allowed upon presentation of a 24hour negative rapid test.

Dancing will also be allowed following the relevant cabinet decision, which will also see an increase in the maximum number of people allowed on the premises, the minister said. A special protocol will be created for night clubs after consultations with the relevant bodies, including night club owners.

Since mid-December, entry to the above places was only allowed to people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine and present a negative 72-hour PCR or 48-hour rapid test.

The maximum number of people permitted in the mentioned businesses will also be increased from 200 to 250 as of February 21, adhering to health protocols and the maximum number of people allowed per square metre which remains in force.

Capacity in stadiums will also be increased to 70 per cent next week.

As of Monday, more people will also be allowed at social gatherings, as the maximum number of customers able to sit together at a table will be increased from eight to 12 and the number allowed in houses from 10 to 20 excluding minors up to 12 years.

Regarding workplaces, officials decided to reduce the percentage of remote workers from the current 50 per cent to 25 per cent next week, excluding essential services. The percentage includes workers who are self-isolating, either because they are infected or are close contacts, as well as those on leave.

Despite the relaxations, mandatory testing will be introduced in pre-primary school children aged 4 and over who will be required to get tested once a week starting Monday.

Furthermore, the controversial test to stay policy, which has been in place in schools and the national guard was extended to nursery schools and the entire public service.

The implementation of the measure in schools was also extended, while the date and details of implementation in younger children will be announced after consultations with the employees in kindergartens and parents associations.

Under the measure, people who are deemed close contacts may choose to undergo testing for seven consecutive days instead of self-isolating. The measure was already extended to health professionals, fire service and police but has not been put into force yet.

Additional measures were also announced for nursing homes, where a surge in cases has been recorded in recent days.

Workers in nursing homes, or other facilities treating people belonging to vulnerable groups, homeless people or children, will be required to present a negative 72-hour PCR test or a 24-hour rapid test. The new measure includes those who have been fully vaccinated against the virus or have recovered from it.

Non-urgent surgeries will also resume as of February 28.

However, patients will continue to be referred to accident and emergency departments of private hospitals to relieve some pressure on the public hospitals.

The remaining measures will stay in force until March 14.

Earlier on Tuesday, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas met the epidemiological team to hear their suggestions.

_________________
Dave
Moira And Dave

“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”

It makes a mockery of the whole vaccination process in my opinion, especially if those without it are able to come and go WITHOUT even producing a negative test!!!

The whole issue has been a mockery. To quote Elon Musk:

They are "Trying to follow the science of the protected needing protection from the unprotected by forcing the unprotected to use the protection that doesn't protect the protected."

Sorry, but if that is now the case I am definitely not going out anywhere.

I cannot risk catching this dreadful virus and the numbers of new cases are still more than 10 times what they were just a few weeks ago.

Surely we should be looking at a short, sharp lockdown to reduce the numbers, not removing restrictions to allow it to spread even more freely?

With the lesser Omicron variant it is time to open up and start to get back to some normality

I tragically, like many others lost dear friends and family to the earlier covid variants ....and have friends who have been left with serious long covid ....but I now know of many people who have had Omicron ... triple vaccinated and unvaccinated and they are all saying the same ...they had symptoms like a cold or exhaustion....the vaccinated had lesser symptoms ...Should society be kept closed down for a cold

We have got to learn how to live with this virus especially with the Omicron variant
We now need herd immunity from the majority to help to wipe it out

Holiday makers will start to arrive soon in holiday season, like it or not we are going to be surrounded by virus being imported in on planes!

The uk has proven that it is okay to now live alongside this milder variant and people there are virtually living back to normal lives

I personally have never agreed that unvaccinated people could not go to eat in resteraunts etc so I am pleased that they are to be accepted back again

Of course for now as vulnerable people we personally will continue to follow our own distancing, mask wearing rules...we have worked solidly for the last 2 years building up our immune systems .. we are triple vaccinated....but 2 years in ....with a lesser variant ...the world cannot stop just for us vulnerable ones!

migmogs - all I will say is please, please don't be fooled into thinking that any version of covid is nothing more than a cold.

I think that covid is a deadly disease virus
But
Omicron has been proven now globally to not be as deadly as other variants of covid have been
Yes a small minority with Omicron can get very poorly and yes can still lose their lives
But
The very vast majority now who I personally know ...getting Omicron are getting colds and exhaustion
We have some how as a planet got to get herd immunity to put this deadly virus behind us
Getting herd immunity through this less serious Omicron variant which has out done now Delta has got to be got hold of and used to our advantage ...so that globally we can all get back to normality again
I also did say
That we as vulnerable people will carry on using our distancing, face masks and carry on building up and maintaining our immunity
We definitely will not be going out chasing a dose of any covid variant
But fingers crossed that globally this pandemic is at last coming to an end

At least the unvaccinated will have a 24 hour negative rapid test result in order to go into catering establishments, whereas no one knows if the vaccinated may/may not have Covid or be capable of passing it on.

Fair point, but bear in mind that quite a proportion of the unvaccinated (but not all) are the same people who refuse to wear masks correctly, or at all, and won't follow social distancing rules and therefore present a much greater risk to the population in general.

There have been musical/dinner events in Peyia area over the last few months ....mostly frequented by vaccinated uk OAP,s who have refused to wear their masks correctly at these events, have not been social distancing, they enjoy hugging each other and dancing ...to me those people caused as much or a greater risk to us all ...because they truly believe that being vaccinated none of the rules apply to them ...because they ridiculously believe that their vaccinations make them exempt to getting the virus!

I haven,t been to any of these events...but the videos on face book over the last few months ....showed exactly what has been going on!

As said above the unvaccinated will have had their 24 hour tests

But no tests for those who believe that they have Vaccine super powers against this virus!

Migmosgs: ''There have been musical/dinner events in Peyia area over the last few months ....mostly frequented by vaccinated uk OAP,s who have refused to wear their masks correctly at these events, have not been social distancing, they enjoy hugging each other and dancing ...to me those people caused as much or a greater risk to us all ...because they truly believe that being vaccinated none of the rules apply to them ...because they ridiculously believe that their vaccinations make them exempt to getting the virus!''

Must admit I am fed up with complete strangers telling me they are fully vaccinated and boosted as if that is enough to reassure me that I am safe in their presence!

100% agree Alexis

All diseases are deadly if you don't look after yourself properly and are unlucky enough to catch them. Masks are a wonderful thing. Since I've been forced to wear one I have caught Covid (and had to use a nebuliser for three weeks), two nasty colds and a particularly unpleasant stomach bug. Since breathing out is of particular importance to asthmatics I've been a bit of a drain on resources in that area too. It must be all the fault of those pesky bars and restaurants who have busted their guts, families and businesses to comply with the non-ceasing puppetry. I'm thrice-vaccinated. Don't think I'll bother again. I'll just stay at home and keep my money.

I agree with what Alexis has been saying. To my understandingbeing triple vaccinated means if you catch covid hopefully it will be less severe and there is less chance of you spreading covid , the problem I see is unvacinated are actually safer as they are test 2 or 3 times a week whereas the vaccinated can go around unknowingly spreading the virus as they have not been tested for months. I am not saying you should not vacinate it just the regulations seem inconsistent with stamping out covid ! It's only a matter of time before they decide on a 3month booster , even if they leave it at 6 months is it plausible to vacinate the entire world every 6 months ?