Full details of revised Covid-19 measures announced by TRNC government

The TRNC Council of Ministers met on Thursday to revised the COVID-19 measures in accordance with the recommendations of the Higher Committee for Infectious Diseases.

A number of changes were made in light of the latest epidemiological situation.

Prime Minister Ersan Saner, who read out the decisions said that the night-time curfew will remain in place between 9:00pm and 5:00am from Monday, April, 26 to Monday, May, 1, 2021.

The Council of Ministers has adopted the following decisions in line with recommendations made by the Higher Committee for Infectious Diseases. 

-A full-day curfew, except to meet essential needs will be in place on Sunday May, 2, 2021. Only pharmacies, petrol stations, bakeries (production only) as well as restaurants offering delivery services will be allowed to open on the day.

-From Monday, April, 26, 2021 to Saturday May, 1, 2021, supermarkets will be open between 7:00 am and 8:00 pm. All retail stores and sectors which are open will be allowed to operate between 10:00 am and 8:00 pm.

-Restaurants, cafes and eateries will be allowed to open between 10 am and 8:30 pm. Restaurants may only serve customers indoors and outdoors without exceeding 1/3 of their seating capacity. The smoking of shisha at cafes is strictly forbidden. Employees working in these sectors will be required to repeat their rapid tests every seven days. These businesses will be required to sign a declaration of undertaking and will be subject to legal prosecution or shut down in the event the rules are breached.

-Coffee shops, social meeting clubs and cafeterias will only be allowed to serve customers without exceeding 1/3 of their indoor and outdoor seating capacity. Playing card games, backgammon or other table games as well as smoking shisha is strictly forbidden. Employees will be required to repeat rapid tests every seven days and will sign a declaration of undertaking. Such establishments will be shut down in the event the rules are breached.

-Barbershops, hairdressers and beauty salons will be open between 7 am and 8 pm. Employees working in these sectors will be required to repeat their rapid tests every seven days. These businesses will be required to sign a declaration of undertaking and will be subject to prosecution or shut down in the event the rules are breached.

-All primary and secondary schools (except for Grade 12 students) will continue education online. All private classes, courses or tutoring sessions are not to resume until further notice. Screening at schools will continue.

-All teachers and staff teaching at preschools, day-care centres or 12 graders will be required to undergo rapid testing every seven days at a site determined by the health ministry.

-Students sitting local or international exams and invigilators are required to undergo PCR testing within the last 72 hours. Windows and doors of exam rooms must remain open at all times and properly ventilated. Students are required to wear masks or other protective gear for the duration of the exam. Students must be seated in accordance with social distancing rules and hand sanitisers must be provided at entrances.

-All non-contact and individual sporting activities are allowed outdoors. Training and sporting competitions without spectators are allowed for athletics, riding, archery, tennis, golf, triathlons, cycling, outdoor swimming, sailing, trap shooting and motor racing.

-Individuals residing in North Cyprus but receiving medical treatment in South Cyprus will be allowed to cross for daily visits without entering quarantine on return provided they present proof of their doctors’ appointment. Patients and their caretakers are required to present a valid PCR test carried out in the last 72 hours. Patients and their caretakers are also required to present updated prescriptions, reports, payment receipts from their doctor/hospital upon entry. Patients and caretakers will be required to carry out a PCR test on the 7th and 14th day of their return and submit the results to the health ministry. The same procedure applies to patients residing in South Cyprus but receiving medical treatment in North Cyprus.

-Taxis or shuttle services transporting customers to or from Larnaca airport in South Cyprus will be required to return to North Cyprus through the same crossing point within three hours. The same rule will apply to taxis picking up cargo from South Cyprus. Taxi drivers will need to present a negative PCR test carried out in the last three days.

-UN personnel, or individuals working for the UN, EU, Sovereign Base Areas, Missing Persons Committee in Cyprus (CMP), UN peacekeepers as well as those working in the buffer zone will be allowed to cross into the TRNC on the condition, they present a valid PCR test carried out in the last seven days.

-Individuals who have visited the UK, the Netherlands, Brazil, Denmark or any African country in the last 14 days will be allowed to enter the country on the condition they remain in mandatory quarantine at a state-monitored facility for 14 days.

-Individuals who have been granted permission for home quarantine will be transported to their address of residence with buses, taxis or shuttle services assigned by the Finance Ministry.

-Birthday, wedding or engagement parties, picnics and similar events, outdoors or indoors, are strictly forbidden. Socializing at homes is limited to a maximum of ten persons and those breaching this rule will be subject to legal prosecution.

-The holding of protests, rallies and ceremonies indoors is strictly prohibited. All protests or rallies held outdoors must be carried out in accordance with social distancing rules. Demonstrators and participants are required to wear face masks at all times. Protests should not include more than 50 participants.

-Mass worship at mosques or mass iftar (fast-breaking dinners) is not allowed until further notice.

-Three-day closed-circuit tourism activities through charter services are allowed. Arriving tourists will be monitored via electronic bracelets. Hotels will be required to sign a declaration form stating that they will not be accepting outside guests for accommodation purposes or to use hotel facilities. Four charter flights will be allowed per week. Flights will be limited to 200 passengers. Two ferry services will be allowed per day with a maximum of 75 passengers (except for military personnel) per ferry. Hotel employees will lodge at the hotel premises and will undergo PCR tests every seven days. Persons responsible for delivering supplies to hotels are forbidden from coming into contact with hotel personnel.

-Group dance or music lessons will not be allowed.