COVID19: Safe Pass cancelled for positive cases

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People found positive for COVID-19 will have their Safe Pass documents cancelled, following a tweaking of the CovPass application to stop Cypriots cheating the system, said the Deputy Ministry of Innovation.

From Wednesday, confirmed COVID cases cannot use their Safe Pass to enter shops and restaurants before their self-isolation period is complete.

Once released from their isolation, those recovered will have to get a new Safe Pass verification, either for having been vaccinated or recovery.

The change comes after authorities found that many vaccinated Cypriots holding Safe Pass documents who had tested positive were not self-isolating but entering hospitality venues.

The deputy ministry said the CovPass database, which holds Safe Pass data, is now connected to the Health Ministry’s database.

Until now, the systems were not linked, meaning that a valid Safe Pass would still work, even if the holder had tested positive, creating a loophole in the system.

Following the changes, active Covid cases will not be able to use their Safe Pass as their existing one will flash red if scanned instead of green.

Deputy Minister Kyriacos Kokkinos told the Cyprus News Agency earlier this week that authorities had examined several approaches before opting for this one.

“With cases at 3,000 a day, we were obliged to put an end to it”.