Coronavirus: Ministry issues reminder on SafePass rules

The health ministry on Thursday reminded the public of personal protection measures against the coronavirus, particularly regarding the SafePass, a day after health minister Constantinos Ioannou expressed concerns about complacency following the improved epidemiological situation.

During a press conference on Wednesday to mark the two-year anniversary of the national health scheme (Gesy), the minister stressed the need to observe the health protocols and called on people to continue observing personal protection measures and vaccinate.

“I want to convey the message that although there is euphoria that we are doing well, we are very worried about complacency,” Ioannou said. He added that this leads to non-compliance with the personal protection measures, “which we are already seeing happening, and although we are building the wall of immunity with vaccinations, the vaccination (regimen) must be completed”.

In support of the minister’s statements, and on the occasion of the reopening of more indoor spaces from June 1, the ministry reiterated that using a SafePass is still compulsory for everyone aged 12 or older.

Members of the public must be able to present a SafePass when visiting the following places:

• Indoor areas in restaurants, cafes, bars etc
• Places of worship
• Indoor theatres, cinemas and performance spaces
• Malls and retail shopping centres
• Weddings, christenings and funerals
• Gyms, dance studios and other sports venues as announced by the Cyprus Sports Organisation
• Care homes, nursing homes, rehabilitation centres
• Hotels and tourist establishments
• Conferences and trade fairs
• Casinos

No SafePass will be required to visit the following places:

• Outdoor areas in restaurants, cafes, bars etc.
• Hairdressers, beauty salons
• Banks
• Church courtyards
• Private and public customer service departments
• Betting shops
• Farmers markets, supermarkets, bakeries, butcher shops, fishmongers, greengrocers, mini-markets, kiosks and pharmacies
• Beaches
• Open-air theatres, amphitheatres, cinemas etc
• Outdoor picnic areas, dams and zoos

The physical presence of persons indoors is set at 50 per cent of the capacity of each indoor venue.

A valid SafePass is defined as:

1. A vaccination card (given at vaccination centres) certifying the person received at least one dose of the anti-coronavirus vaccine three weeks prior, OR
2. Proof the person contracted the virus in the last six months in the form of a text message verifying their discharge or recovery, OR
3. A negative PCR or rapid test taken up to 72 hours prior. This can either be a text message or the slip of paper given at a testing site. The ministry emphasised that self-tests or antibody tests are not valid.

The ministry calls the third option a “temporary solution” that should be chosen in case neither of the other two could be provided, appearing to imply that the option for testing as valid for use for the SafePass might at some future point be removed.