With organised beaches due to reopen this Saturday, May 23, as per a Cabinet decision on Tuesday, municipalities, communities and the Committee on Beaches are now awaiting for instructions on how beaches should operate in the Coronavirus climate.
Head of the beaches committee Loizos Loizou told CNA that they are waiting for the relevant decree to be issued as “there are no specific guidelines yet apart from last night’s announcement that mentioned that hygiene protocols need to be followed.”
“Based on approved plans for the use of beaches in municipalities and communities, there is one particular protocol that stipulates that there should be one umbrella and two sunbeds per 16 m2 to enable social distancing,” he added.
Limassol mayor Nicos Nicolaides told CNA that sunbeds and umbrellas are expected to be installed at Olympians Coast next week, assuring that the municipality will strictly adhere to the instructions that will be announced.Â
The Ayios Tychonas community, that is responsible for most of Limassol district’s organised beaches, will only reopen three of its seven beaches initially.
Ayios Tychonas community secretary Antonis Antoniou told CNA that everyone is on standby to receive clarifications on how disinfections of umbrellas and sunbeds should be conducted, mentioning that the beaches inspector will be performing checks on behalf of the council.
Lifeguards are also awaiting instructions who are currently on duty while implementing safety measures, which prohibit mouth-to-mouth in drowning incidents and only allow chest compressions, always with the use of a face mask and gloves.
Read more:Â Cabinet greenlights phase 2 of lockdown exit plan, beaches to open May 23
