Arrivals from Argentina, Namibia, and Chile will be subject to more stringent entry rules reaching Cyprus, as the countries have been added to the red category, which represents a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission.
According to the weekly press release issued by the Cypriot Ministry of Interior, unvaccinated and unrecovered arrivals from these countries and the remaining red category are obliged to present a PCR test taken 72 hours before arrival and take another PCR test upon arrival, while remaining isolated until the result is issued, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
The red category, at present, in addition to Argentina, Namibia and Chile, consists of:
- EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Czech Republic, Finland
- EU Microstates: Andorra, Monaco, Vatican City, San Marino
- Schengen Area: Switzerland, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway
- Third countries: Egypt, Armenia, Georgia, United States of America, United Kingdom, Jordan, Belarus, Lebanon, South Korea, Oman, Ukraine, Peru, Russia, Serbia
However, the remaining categories haven’t been modified with new information, which means that the green category, including the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Kuwait, Bahrein, and Saudi Arabia, remains untouched, and arrivals from these countries can enter Cyprus free of quarantine and testing requirements.
Furthermore, the same rules apply to the orange category, arrivals of which must present a negative PCR test 72 hours before arrival.
The only EU member state found in the orange category is Greece, whereas the third countries on this list are Australia, Japan, Israel, Canada, Qatar, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Colombia, New Zealand, Uruguay, and Rwanda.
In conclusion, all travellers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, have a previous infection with the virus, or are holders of the EU Digital COVID-19 Certificate, are eligible to enter Cyprus feely.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO) data, 3,865 positive cases and nine deaths of Coronavirus were registered in Cyprus during the last seven days. The same source reveals that the total vaccine doses administered per 100 inhabitants in Cyprus is 152.6, 45.7 per cent higher than the global average. In addition, while there are 44.29 people fully vaccinated per 100 inhabitants globally, the rate is 48.7 per cent higher in Cyprus (67.97).
Furthermore, data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) shows that 70.6 per cent of the population in Cyprus has been partially vaccinated, 68 per cent received two shots of the vaccine, and 16.5 has received a third or booster shot.
