Filenews 4 November 2020
Three categories were divided into the measures announced on Wednesday evening (04/11) by the Minister of Health, Konstantinos Ioannou, after the end of the Council of Ministers.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour, Zeta Emilianidou, will give a press conference on Thursday, 5 November, at 12.15pm, at the Presidential Palace, where she will announce the new measures to support Employment, due to the measures taken by the Government to tackle the crowning pandemic.
The measures announced by the Minister of Health:
Category A. Medium-term measures with effect on a global basis for the period from 5 November 2020 until 15 January 2021:
1. The regulation for the operation of closed and open cinemas, theatres and theatres with occupancy at 50% of their capacity shall continue to apply.
2. Conferences, assemblies and/or events may be organised in conference interiors with a maximum number of participants of 250 persons, in compliance with the protocol and the measure to maintain a distance of 3 m2 per person, regardless of the square meters of each premises. Coffee/snacks/cocktails may not be served during the event.
3. Beverage and food retailers (supermarkets, mini-markets, butchers, etc.) and pharmacies from the start of their operation until 9 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. serve only persons over 65 years of age and persons with disabilities.
4. The use of a mask by the general population, aged 12 years and over, shall be made compulsory indoors and outdoors, in accordance with the instructions issued by the Ministry of Health.
5. As regards the organisation of weddings and baptisms from 13 November 2020 to 15 January 2021, cocktail parties and congratulations on weddings and christenings are prohibited. Only the physical presence at a meal or dinner is allowed, with a maximum attendance of 150 people. It is understood that the maximum number of persons per table may not exceed 6 persons.
Category B. Extraordinary measures with effect on a pancyprian basis for the period from 5 to 30 November:
1. Persons may be present at gatherings in homes and public gathering places, with the exception of dining areas, with a maximum number of 10 persons per house/group, including minors.
2. Dining areas may be open until 10:30 p.m. Restaurants, dining areas within hotels and other tourist accommodations, dining areas within shopping centres, department stores and malls, taverns, cafes, pizzerias, pubs, snack bars, bars, cafes, and dining areas within canteens and/or sports groups, cultural groups, clubs, clubs, etc. It is clarified that the above areas may provide home delivery services after 10:30 p.m. The ban excludes dining areas at Larnaca and Paphos Airports.
3. The maximum number of persons allowed to be served in the dining areas shall be set at 75 persons indoors and 150 persons outdoors.
4. The maximum number of persons per reservation/table/group in dining areas may not exceed 6 persons.
5. It shall be prohibited to move persons from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following day, with the exception of travel for medical reasons (from/to pharmacy, hospital) or for work purposes, by presenting a certificate or evidence.
6. Congregation and other forms of religious worship in churches, churches and other religious sites, as well as religious ceremonies, shall be performed with a maximum number of persons of 75 persons, subject to the protocols applicable to places of religious worship.
7. Matches may be held in sports facilities in the context of sports leagues without the presence of spectators, subject to compliance with the relevant protocols.
8. Children's playgrounds may be operated, with a maximum number of persons, 50 persons in enclosed playgrounds and 150 persons in open playgrounds respecting the meter for distance at the base of the square meters of each space. It is understood that events may not be organised in playgrounds (e.g. children's birthday parties) for more than 10 persons per event, including children.
9. The use of locker rooms in gyms is prohibited.
Category C. Extraordinary measures with effect in the Provinces of Limassol and Paphos for the period from 5 to 16 November:
In the event of a deterioration in the epidemiological picture and the increased epidemiological burden still recorded, and after taking into account the latest data showing that for the period 17-30 October in Limassol Province the cumulative incidence is 420 people per 100,000 and the cumulative incidence in Paphos Province is 294 people per 100,000, i.e. almost tripling compared to the previous fortnight under consideration , in addition to the measures in force on a cyprus basis, the following were decided:
1. All group sports and social activities of children under 18 years of age (e.g. football, dancing, swimming, martial arts, theatre, choir, etc.) are prohibited.
2. The matches of sports leagues of athletes under the age of 18 of the teams, whose headquarters are in the Provinces of Limassol and Paphos, are prohibited. For example, if a team based in Limassol or Paphos province competes with a Nicosia District team, the match is postponed until the end of the measures.
3. The operation of all playgrounds, open and closed, shall be suspended.
4. The operation of the gyms shall be suspended.
In addition, and with the main aim of reducing the number of workers and, by extension, limiting their exposure to the virus in the workplace and the maximum possible protection of their health, it is recommended that a number of practices be adopted, such as the following:
1. Tele-work/work from home where possible (for example, cyclically to a significant 30-50% of total staff, etc.) with priority given to people belonging to vulnerable groups of the population.
2. Separation and grouping of staff so that they do not have contact with each other, with different hours during the day or with circular hours, different workplaces or other means.
3. Separate staff/group breaks and avoidance of shared break areas.
4. Distance meetings and teleconferences and restriction as much as possible of the number and length of stay of external visitors.
To this end, in consultation with the Ministries of Health and Finance, the Department of Public Service and Personnel is preparing relevant arrangements to the Departments/Services, so that persons who fall into the categories of citizens with risk factors for serious disease from COVID-19 and come into contact with an audience or are housed in an office with more than one person and there is no possibility of respecting the appropriate distances, are able to carry out their work in an individual workplace. If such an arrangement is not possible, then such persons will be able, with the approval and in full consultation with their Supervisor, to perform work remotely, where the nature of the work permits, alternately and at a rate not exceeding 50% of the persons belonging to the vulnerable groups for each Service.
As the Minister of Health said in his statement, "when last May we took the decision to gradually restart society and the economy, we made it clear that we should continue to respect the measures so that the transmission of the virus is controlled and does not escape. In order to strengthen this effort, a series of measures had been announced as early as August with a time horizon of January of the following year.".
"Although the measures taken were appropriate to stop the spread of the virus, unfortunately this was not possible. The situation in our country, although extremely difficult at this time, can be controlled and normalised again. But we must once again act immediately and taking into account social and psychological factors," he noted.
"This is the aim of the extraordinary measures decided by the Council of Ministers today. The measures focus both on the containment of the outbreak of pancyprian cases and on limiting the spread at local level, where an increased epidemiological burden is identified", he pointed out.
At the same time, he stressed that "for the planning of measures, in addition to psychological and social factors, account has been taken of the epidemiological data before us, and in particular the geographical distribution of incidents. Due to the small size of Cyprus, it is not possible to limit the spread to the extent we wish, while it is easy to transmit the virus from one Province to another."
In addition, dispersion in the community was assessed and taken into account, as well as the risk of specific activities, where there is an increased risk of large transmission of the virus.
To this end, in consultation with the Ministries of Health and Finance, the Department of Public Service and Personnel is preparing relevant arrangements to the Departments/Services, so that persons who fall into the categories of citizens with risk factors for serious disease from COVID-19 and come into contact with an audience or are housed in an office with more than one person and there is no possibility of respecting the appropriate distances, are able to carry out their work in an individual workplace. If such an arrangement is not possible, then such persons will be able, with the approval and in full consultation with their Supervisor, to perform work remotely, where the nature of the work permits, alternately and at a rate not exceeding 50% of the persons belonging to the vulnerable groups for each Service.
At the same time it was stressed that 'the health measures we have taken in the first place are harsh and we are aware of this. But we had and have a duty to put the health and safety of every citizen above all other choice. The measures taken are preventive and repressive and we all understand what the situation would be like without the measures."
"We are on standby and have a plan. We have been on alert for months to deal with increased incidents in hospitals and there is now more experience in our hospitals. But I would like once again to reiterate that the possibilities of the System are not limitless, so we must guard the Health System so that it can respond in the event of increased cases requiring hospitalization," he noted.
Our concern, he said, "was and remains the precaution of vulnerable groups, the transplanted friend, our heart-sick neighbour, our mothers and fathers, our grandparents, who have a greater chance of severe disease."
Addressing the citizens, he said: "I address each of you individually and ask once again for your input. We need once again to remain vigilant. Our goal is not to burden you psychologically. We know, and we experience it, that fatigue has occurred after this months-long battle. Our goal at this point is to find that golden intersection that will allow us to coexist with the virus, always with those precautions that will have the least possible impact on our social life and our psychology.
In this marathon we've been running all this time, we're again asked to choose whether to finish together or leave some people on course. We take measures for our health and safety. For our protection. For the people we love. It is time for each of us to make our own introspection individually and with a sense of responsibility towards ourselves and the whole, to be stubborn again and with actions to prove that we have the seriousness and maturity to overcome this adventure as well."
Source: eyenews
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