Another five EU countries have moved from the dangerous COVID-19 red category to safer orange after Cyprus reviewed its travel list effective from 10 June.
The five countries upgraded from red to orange are – Germany, Croatia, Slovakia, Spain, and Luxembourg.
They will join Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, who turned orange last week.
Now over half the 27-member bloc is in the orange category, where Brussels also classifies Cyprus.
There are now 19 countries in the orange zone, including the UK and Norway, where a negative PCR test is required.
Malta remains the only EU member state in Cyprus’ green category, while Japan has been moved into the red category from Thursday.
Cyprus has brought the virus under control through an aggressive vaccination program, ranking it third in the bloc for COVID-19 jabs per population.
There are only eight countries in the safer green zone, from which tourists can enter without needing to self-isolate or get tested for COVID-19.
Cyprus has opened its doors to vaccinated tourists, regardless of their country of origin, to boost arrivals that plunged 84.1% last year.
Vaccinated tourists allowed unconditional entry must have taken a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen, Russia’s SputnikV, and China’s Sinopharm was added to the list of accepted vaccines by Cyprus.
Under the newly introduced colour-coded system, there is no mandatory quarantine for tourists entering Cyprus.
GREEN
Under the new COVID assessment scheme, low-risk countries currently classified in the green category are EU member Malta and third countries Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Israel, and Iceland (EEA).
Passengers arriving from these countries do not require to self-isolate or carry a negative coronavirus test.
ORANGE
Orange countries are those of higher risk than green.
Passengers must have undergone a PCR laboratory test within 72 hours before departure and have a certificate proving they tested negative for the virus.
EU member states 1) Portugal, 2) Finland, 3) Ireland 4) Romania 5) Austria 6) Bulgaria 7) Czech Republic 8) Hungry 9) Italy 10) Poland 11) Germany 12) Croatia 13) Slovakia 14) Spain 15) Luxembourg
Schengen Area: 1) Norway
Third countries: 1) China (including Hong Kong and Macau), 2) UK 3) USA
Passengers from these countries can undergo the coronavirus test upon arrival at their own expense and remain in self-isolation pending the results if they are Cypriot citizens or residents.
RED
This category includes countries of higher risk than orange.
Passengers coming from red category countries are required: a) to prove a negative PCR test carried out under 72 hours before departure, and b) undergo another PCR test upon arrival in Cyprus. The cost of the test is charged to the individual.
European Union: 1) Belgium 2) France 3) Greece 4) Netherlands 5) Denmark 6) Slovenia 7) Estonia 8) Latvia, 9) Lithuania, 10) Sweden
Small states: 1) Andorra, 2) Monaco, 3) Vatican City, 4) San Marino
Schengen Area: 1) Switzerland, 2) Liechtenstein
Third Countries: 1) Rwanda, 2) Russia, 3) United Arab Emirates, 4) Ukraine, 5) Jordan, 6) Lebanon, 7) Egypt, 8) Belarus, 9) Qatar, 10) Serbia, 11) Thailand, 12) Armenia, 13) Georgia, 14) Bahrain 15) Canada 16) Kuwait 17) Japan
GREY
Arrivals are allowed entry after acquiring special permission, and only if they are Cypriot citizens or entitled to enter.
Passengers must undergo a coronavirus test under 72 hours before their trip and have a certificate they tested negative for Covid-19.
Grey category passengers must remain in self-isolation for 14 days or 10 if they choose to carry out another coronavirus PCR test with a negative result.
