Coronavirus: Measures may be tweaked for Easter, govt monitoring the situation (updated)

While a few coronavirus measures may be tweaked for the Easter period, Government Spokesman Kyriacos Koushos said on Tuesday the government is constantly evaluating the need of introducing new measures or scaling back existing ones.

He said that the epidemiological team meets every Thursday to re-assess the situation with the pandemic.

“President Nicos Anastasiades also met the health ministry today so the situation is constantly monitored,” he said.

“As things stand, there will not be any relaxations soon, but we will not add additional measures. If there is a need for them, rest assured that the government will implement them.”

Koushos repeated it is the duty of every person on the island to realise how serious the situation is and called on everyone to get vaccinated and respect all anti-Covid measures.

“We are hoping that by June at least 65 per cent of the population will be vaccinated. We must win this battle and for that to happen we need everyone’s cooperation and discipline,” Koushos said.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, measures that might be changed include a reduction in the curfew and an increased number of people allowed to gather in homes during the Easter weekend.

The change to the curfew, however, might only be allowed on Easter Saturday to allow people to attend midnight church services.

As far as Easter Sunday is concerned, the health ministry is considering allowing gatherings of up to ten people in houses.

The government is also studying the possibility of allowing an increased number of people in churches during Easter, depending on the epidemiological picture next week.

Speaking to SigmaLive, scientific advisor Zoe Dorothea Pana suggested that churches carry their services outdoors, in order to minimise the risk of the virus spreading.

“At this stage, whether we are in church or elsewhere, we need to protect ourselves,” she said.

“That is why I think it will be better if people will gather at churches outside rather than inside, so that we can all keep more distance between ourselves and so that we do not risk cases increasing even more during the holidays.”

Moreover, according to the CNA, decisions regarding the return to schools for students will only be taken after Easter Monday, when there will be a clearer picture of the situation, particularly in hospitals and intensive care wards.

The final decisions on the temporary relaxations, however, are expected to be announced by the Council of Ministers after their meeting on Thursday.

Meanwhile, another government scientific advisor, Constantinos Tsioutis, Assistant Professor of Pathology at the European University, denied rumours reporting tensions between scientists within the epidemiological team.

“The rumours that are coming to light in the last few days about the climate that prevails within the team are absolutely not correct,” Tsioutis told CNA.

“Our main goal is to see a decrease in the number of daily Covid-19 cases registered in Cyprus, but for that to happen we must all take individual responsibility, both for our own sake and for the sake of others,” he said.

“Every suggestion we discuss about as a team will be put before the ministry of health, with which we are in constant consultation.”