NICOSIA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Citing a "steady and clear improvement" of the epidemiological situation in Cyprus, Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantelas said on Thursday that most of the COVID-19 measures affecting everyday life will be relaxed as of March 8.
He said a Safe Pass will no longer be required to enter so-called "short-stay" premises, such as supermarkets, department stores, retail shops, pharmacies, small retail businesses or bakeries.
The mandatory quarantine for infected people will also be shortened from ten to seven days after a negative rapid or PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test result, he said.
The country's various premises will be classified into high, medium and low risk venues, and "short-stay" areas, with different requirements for each category.
Those wishing to enter high-risk areas, mainly dance halls, will be required to present negative test result taken within the previous two days for vaccinated people and within 24 hours for the unvaccinated.
The new rules will enter into force on March 8, one day after Green Monday (the beginning of the Lenten period) on March 7 and two days after Carnival Sunday on March 6, when people in Cyprus traditionally come together in large numbers.
The ban on school parades and on the use of dressing rooms in sports and exercise areas will also be lifted.
Since last week, the number of new COVID-19 infections has dropped below 2,000 per day and the number of coronavirus patients requiring hospital treatment has also decreased considerably, Hadjipantelas said.
A leading member of the scientific team advising the government said that if the positivity rate, which currently stands at around 1.5 percent, drops to below 1.0 percent in the next few weeks, the coronavirus pandemic will be reclassified as an endemic disease. ■