CORONAVIRUS - STRICT INSTRUCTIONS FOR PEOPLE UNDER HOME RESTRICTION

 Cyprus Mail 22 October 2020  - by Annette Chrysostomou

The health ministry has issued instructions for people placed under home restriction.

According to the ministry, these include individuals who have returned from a category C country in the last 14 days, with or without symptoms, and those who have been identified as a close contact of a confirmed case.

“Ideally, the person should be living alone at home. If this is not possible, the suspected case is isolated in a room, which the other members will not use under any circumstances. If there are other suspicious or confirmed cases in the house they should be isolated separately from each other,” the ministry advised.

The room the suspected case stays in should be well ventilated and the person is not allowed to leave the house. Visitors are not allowed.

Isolated individuals may only leave the house in case of an emergency and after contacting their doctor or calling 1420.

The use of separate household utensils is recommended, and where this is not possible the items should be disinfected before and after each use.

The use of a separate bathroom and toilet is also recommended.

Any planned trips during the 14 days need to be cancelled. An exception may be made in consultation with the epidemiological surveillance unit in case the person’s permanent residence is outside Cyprus.

Waste should be separated from other waste for 72 hours before it is disposed of.

In case it is not possible to apply the above, there is quarantine provision at an additional cost, whereby the person will stay at a hotel. In case the person has been ordered by the health ministry to isolate because he/she has come into close contact with a person in a plane the cost of the hotel stay is borne by the government.

“If the person is a minor, only one adult is allowed to stay with the child in quarantine and to request a certificate of absence from work.”

People who are part of contact tracing have the right to one free test, while persons coming from a category C country have to repeat a test 12 days after their arrival at their own expense.

They will be notified of the result by text message within 72 hours but will have to complete the 14 days quarantine even if they find out the result is negative before.

It is possible to obtain sick leave from the ministry of health for people who have been ordered to self-isolate. Relevant instructions can be found on the PIO coronavirus website.

For general information and clarifications the public can call 1412 from 8am until 8pm.

“Home quarantine may be monitored either on-site or by telephone controls,” the ministry warned. “People who are under home restriction are required to comply with the relevant decree. In case of non-compliance, they will be held criminally liable.”

More information can be found here: https://www.pio.gov.cy/en/search-results.html?search=coronavirus