Nicosia close to ending all Covid restrictions

The Cypriot government is “very close” to ending all coronavirus restrictions according to the health minister, who says hospitalizations were down significantly in the last couple of days.

Safe Pass, a measure restricting people’s access to public spaces based on health conditions, has already been removed for many places, while on Monday the state will also abolish the Cyprus Flight Pass for entry into the country.

Minister Michalis Hadjipantela on Thursday said he expected additional relaxations to be decided during a meeting on Monday. “I’m waiting to hear what the scientists have to say,” the minister said.

Hadjipantela said he would first need to be briefed by scientists before making any decisions. “As you all know, in the last few days we had great results. The number of cases went down significantly, while a reduction in hospitalizations in the last couple of days was also significant,” he said.

Critics have been voicing discontent over the government’s slow response to improved pandemic conditions in the last few weeks. “If these developments continue and we don’t have a new mutation, I believe we are very close, just like those other countries,” Hadjipantela said.