President Nicos Anastasiades on Friday morning chairs a new meeting with the scientific advisory team on Covid-1 before official announcements are made around midday on what measures will apply in Cyprus as of December 1.
What is certain is that restrictions to prevent the further spread of the pandemic will somewhat relax over Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations, according to insiders.
The most likely scenario is that the new measures will apply all across Cyprus and that coastal Paphos district’s almost total lockdown imposed two weeks ago will be lifted.
Because of its improved epidemiological state of play – unlike coastal Limassol district’s one which is expected to continue due to an increase in recorded cases but with a gradual relaxation of measures.
The almost total lockdown in Limassol is likely to continue to be in place for one more week.
Minister of Health Constantinos Ioannou is expected to announced at midday two different sets of measures; A stricter one for the period before the Christmas holidays and a more relaxed one which will be in place from December 23, 2020 until January 6, 2021.
Measures across Cyprus which are under consideration include schools closing earlier and the continuation of distance learning. However, it has not been decided whether such a decision would be made regarding all levels of education.
In the meantime, it is likely that that an evening curfew, a limit in the number of people gathering together in households and an earlier closing time on restaurants and other establishments offering food will continue to be in place.
Stricter measures to contain the pandemic have been in place across Cyprus since November 12 after a second wave of Covid-19 cases hit the country in October.
