Cyprus NYE rules: New limits on gatherings

The emergence of new coronavirus cases has seen rules in Cyprus tightened.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 21,315 confirmed infections, with 117 deaths.

The new measures come into force from December 29 until January 10, 2021.

• All get-togethers at home are restricted to only those who reside there. *The only exception is for NYE (December 31), where the limit cannot exceed 10 people from two families, including minors.

• Night curfew (9pm-5am) remains in effect (except for New Year’s Eve when that’s extended to 1 am). The only exceptions to the curfew- anyone who’s on the job (they must fill out an employee movement certificate) and for emergency medical reasons.

It is reminded the following prohibitions remain in force:

• All public gatherings outdoors are limited to two people.
• A ban on public gatherings/events, protests, parades, festivals and concerts in public or private areas remains in place.
• The operation of catering establishments is suspended. This includes restaurants, taverns, cafés, pubs, and bars, with the exception of their delivery and take away services. It is understood that after 9 p.m. only home delivery is permitted.
• Churches will be open to the faithful on Epiphany (January 6), with limits on the number of people allowed inside. There will be a limit of 75 people allowed in churches, who must observe the social distancing measures, that is one person per 3 sq.m.

Covid vaccine rollout begins in Cyprus

Cypriot Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said the start of vaccinations on Sunday simultaneously in all EU Member States was the “beginning of the end, but not the end of the effort.”

Residents and staff at Panayia Care Home in Limassol, were the first to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Cyprus.

The first person in Cyprus to be vaccinated was Dr Anastasios Tsiftsis.

“The vaccine is safe and I hope people respond to the call of the medical community to show up and get it so that we help end the pandemic sooner rather than later,” he said.

“I trust science and this is why I took the vaccine today. I want to assure my fellow citizens that the vaccine is totally safe, many people took part in clinical research, the results have been published and we all agree that it is safe,” Dr Anastasios Tsiftsis added.

On Monday, Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiadis received the COVID-19 vaccine, which he described as a “gift of life”.

Anastasiadis also thanked doctors, nurses, and all those who stood on the front lines against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“2021 should be the restart of a new life or a new path to real life, as we had lived for so many years,” the Cypriot President underlined.

*Read More: Cyprus to lift travel ban on 56 countries