Cyprus lifts final Covid restriction, masks in hospitals

Cyprus has lifted the final restriction on the fourth anniversary of the coronavirus pandemic hitting the island, that decimated the island’s economy for the second time in a decade and took 1,365 lives to date.

Health Minister Michalis Damianou said after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that as of Friday, all mandatory testing for Covid-19 will no longer be necessary for visits to hospitals and care homes, but wearing a mask will still be needed.

He said the Cabinet issued an amended decree that will be published in the government’s Official Gazette on Friday.

Justifying the decision, Damianou said that the positive test results were “just a few hundred” out of a total 80,000 samples, while hospitalisations were minimal.

“A negative PCR or rapid test is cancelled for patient and visitors’ entry to public and private hospitals, care homes and other treatment centres of vulnerable groups.

“The only measure that remains is the use of masks in hospitals, old people’s homes and closed structures,” the minister said.