The ministers of health, finance and labour assured the public that the strict new measures announced on Sunday will protect the economy, businesses and workers and called on students studying abroad not to travel to Cyprus during the next month.
The three ministers – Constantinos Ioannou, Constantinos Petrides and Zeta Emilianides – told a press conference at the Presidential Palace that Cyprus faced “an extremely difficult and unprecedented situation” and that no government policy, no matter how well planned can replace “collective and individual responsibility that all of us should have.”
“Stay at home, work from home, stop unnecessary movements,” Petrides urged, adding that practical problems may occur as a result of government policies and that it will be “a trial for all of us.”
Ioannou warned that confirmed cases with coronavirus will increase but said that from the very beginning Cyprus had been following the ECDC’s guidelines in immediately finding out who the people who contracted the virus came in contact with and making sure that they self-isolate so that the chain of transmission is broken.
Together with Italy, Cyprus has made the greatest number of diagnostic tests in relation to its population, while in absolute numbers it has made more diagnostic tests than much larger countries.
Replying to a question as to how public finances will be affected the finance minister said that they certainly will but it is too early to make projections. He noted that the policy followed by the government so far of having balanced budgets or surpluses has meant that it is in a position to shield the health system, social cohesion and small businesses.
“It is our duty, during this period, to support the economy as much as possible,” he said, “This is what we are doing.”
He said he was certain that the economy will start recovering, once the virus is contained.
Asked what will happen to passengers arriving at Cyprus’ airports after 1800 hours local time on Monday, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou made it clear that only people with a certificate by recognised laboratories from the country of the travellers’ origin showing no indications of coronavirus will be allowed in.
Airlines have been warned not to allow to board those without such a certificate.
“I urge people, if they do not have this certificate not to even bother going to the airport at the country of departure,” he stressed. He added that even people with a certificate will be placed under quarantine for 14 days in premises which have been selected by the state.
Asked about passengers arriving from the UK he said that no exceptions can be made.
Petrides explained that the goal is not to make it easy for people to come to Cyprus, hence the strict measures in order to protect public health. Students studying abroad should not come to Cyprus, and he urged them “to stay abroad during this period.” Strict measures are necessary to protect public health, he said. The subsidy of 750 euros to be given to students is not means tested and concerns all students studying abroad.
The health minister emphasised that retail businesses which are allowed to stay open should not have over five people working at any given time in their work space and that customers cannot be over one person per 8 square metres. This he clarified is also in effect for businesses offering take-aways.
Petrides said that one of the main aims of the package is to prevent the permanent loss of jobs.
“When due to a deep crisis, whether short-term or long-term, many people remain unemployed then it is very difficult for an economy to deal with it.” That is why, he added, the government has invested in these schemes so that Cyprus can withstand the “great shocks to the economy, without having people lose their jobs or businesses going bankrupt, to the extent that it can be prevented”.
