COVID19: Self-isolation period shortened

People testing positive for COVID-19 will be automatically released from self-isolation after ten days without the need to get the approval of their General Practitioner.

Tweaking the protocol, the Health Ministry announced it would, from 17 January, shorten the self-isolation time from 14 days to 10, starting from the day the patient tests positive.

To date, confirmed Covid cases are released by their GP after a negative PCR test.

This was then followed by an SMS from the Health Ministry with links to the recovery certificate that can be used for a Safe Pass.

The process will now be automated, with recovered people receiving an SMS from the Health Ministry informing them of the end of their quarantine (tenth day).

The ministry clarified that the ten days start after the person tests positive and not when they show symptoms.

People testing positive will still have to inform their GP to monitor their health and issue sick leave.

A GP could extend the self-isolation period in cases where the symptoms such as fever persist or for immunosuppressed patients.

GPs, the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) and Cyprus medical associations have been informed about the revised process.

The ministry’s latest decision follows a previous mandate for positive cases to fill in an online form declaring their contacts to speed up tracing processes.