The last of the high school students will probably return to their classrooms next Tuesday, as part of relaxing the latest COVID-19 lockdown measures, experts have suggested to the government that is expected to take a final decision on Wednesday.
Relaxations to be announced on Wednesday noon, following a cabinet meeting, are also expected to see restaurants reopen and a night curfew pushed back to 11pm.
Secondary school teachers’ union OELMEK confirmed that they were told by Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou that gymnasium students will be returning to school on Tuesday, the day after the Green Monday holiday, with students undergoing an obligatory COVID-19 test on the same day.
The graduating students of the upper Lyceum had continued classes uninterrupted, while the first two Lyceum classes returned a month ago.
OELMEK President Themis Polyviou said that they were told that authorities would be sending mobile testing units to gymnasiums on Tuesday and Wednesday, with students not allowed to enter classrooms without a negative COVID test.
Gymnasium students have not stepped foot in their classrooms since before Christmas, when they were sent home for the holiday season. Lyceum students and elementary pupils had returned from February 8.
Meanwhile, a rise in cases does not seem capable of reversing the government’s decision to reopen the hospitality sector as of next Tuesday.
Despite cases rising, Tuesday’s tally reached 420 with a test positivity rate of 1.21% on the anniversary since the first cases were identified in Cyprus.
Information sourced to scientists and authorities suggests the next stage of lifting lockdown measures will go ahead on March 16, as restaurants and cafes reopen, with customers seated both indoors and outdoors.
Restaurants could be allowed up to 75 indoors, with one customer allowed for every 3 square meters and 150 outdoors with one customer for every 2 square meters.
In comments to Philenews, the chairman of the team of scientists advising the government on the coronavirus outbreak, Dr Constantinos Tsioutis said that hospitality could be given the green light under tight measures.
“We need to come to terms with the new state of affairs as reopening the economy and hospitality in particular is a one-way street,” said Tsioutis.
He argued that all stakeholders, from owners, staff to guests, will have to acknowledge that reopening hospitality will be a “risky endeavour” and will have to assume responsibilities in order to keep the virus at bay.
Bars, hotels, 6 per table at restaurants
According to reports, bars that only serve drinks will not be given the go-ahead, as scientists want to encourage people to remain seated at their tables.
A maximum of six people, including minors, will be allowed at a single table, with waiters to be instructed to stay at least one meter from tables and wear face masks.
A 9 pm curfew is expected to be pushed back to 11 pm to facilitate the operation of restaurants, but people will still need to send in an SMS permission request to 8998 to be allowed to leave their homes.
Reportedly, further relaxations for gyms and dance schools, currently allowed up to five at a time, that were also be tabled along with relaxations for churchgoers and cinemas and theatres, will not be getting the green light.
Hotels are expected to open, according to reports, one week after restaurants and cafes open.
The key indicator for easing measures is hospital admissions, say health experts.
On Tuesday, the number of COVID patients rose to 154, double the figure that had stabilised a fortnight ago. On 27 February patients in COVID-19 wards and ICUs numbered 78.
However, scientists are optimistic as the number, and the age of patients in ICUs has dropped significantly compared to December.
The rise in new infections is widely attributed to more students returning to school, the retail sector opening and many people, particularly in Limassol, ignoring health and safety rules.
Cyprus has to date reported 37,650 cases and 233 deaths.
A second lockdown was imposed on January 10 after daily coronavirus cases soared to 907 on December 29.
Exiting the lockdown started in February when hairdressers and barbers were allowed to reopen, followed by non-essential shops and employees returning to offices.
The first lockdown came into effect on March 24 and gradually eased through to May. A ban on commercial flights ended in June.
