COVID19: Cyprus takes ‘cautious step’ with partial lifting of lockdown from May 4

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades announced a partial lifting of lockdown measures from Monday, May 4, whereby all civil servants will return to work, construction sites will resume work and retail stores, including DIY stores, will re-open, apart from malls, allowing a significant part of the economy to restart.

In the first stage of measures, Anastasiades said that courts will also resume, while travel agencies will reopen, albeit without airports or ports allowing flights or cruises.

In the second phase, starting from May 11, graduate class students will return to high schools, to allow them to complete their curriculum and sit for university entrance exams, while remote teaching will continue for all other classes.

Also from May 11, prayers will be allowed at churches and mosques, but for no more than ten people at a time; personal exercise and cycling will be allowed on public and paved roads, and swimming in open areas, in groups of two. Parks will remain closed, services for weddings, baptism and funerals will still be limited to ten people at a time, and ‘high performance athletes’ as identified by the Cyprus Olympic Committee may resume training, only in open spaces.

From May 18, team training will be allowed, but cannot use locker rooms, gyms or other closed spaces.

All restrictions will be lifted from May 21, but the maximum size of groups cannot be more than 10 people. The catering sector will reopen, but only for service in open areas, while hair and nail salons will be allowed to resume business.

From June 1, public beaches will reopen, as will libraries, museums and archaeological sites, as well as betting shops. Access to ports and marinas will be allowed, but no cruise vessels will come in or depart, as yet.