Cyprus Health Ministry announced on Saturday an updated epidemiological risk assessment of countries concerning COVID-19. Following the assessment only four countries remain in Category A (low-risk countries), while most countries are included in Category C (high-risk countries compared to Categories A and B). Countries included in Category B are those with possibly low risk but greater uncertainty compared to Category A.
The changes that will come into effect as of January 18, 2021, compared to the previous assessment of November 6, 2020, are the following:
Serbia moves from Category B to Category C,
Sweden moves from Category B to Category C,
Latvia moves from Category B to Category C,
Lithuania moves from Category B to Category C,
Japan moves from Category A to Category B,
Estonia moves from Category B to Category C,
Iceland moves from Category C to Category B,
Denmark moves from Category B to Category C,
Uruguay moves from Category B to Category C
and South Korea moves from Category A to Category B.
According to the Health Ministry, the epidemiological picture of various countries with regard to the COVID-19 disease has been re-evaluated by the Epidemiological Monitoring and Control of Infectious Diseases Unit of the Medical Services and the Public Health Services.
The evaluation was based on the epidemiological indicators of the countries, such as: the effective reproduction number R(t) for SARS-CoV-2, the number of new diagnoses, the number of laboratory tests, the mortality rate per 100,000 inhabitants, the estimated prevalence and the impact and classification by the World Health Organization (WHO), as these indicators appear on valid databases.
The following categorization of countries, based on the epidemiological risk assessment, is extremely fluid and may be modified at any moment as the pandemic evolves and the epidemiological data changes. For this reason, new data will be announced and the list of countrie swill be updated frequently.
Category A –Low-risk countries at current stage
Third Countries: 1) Australia, 2) New Zealand, 3) Singapore, 4) Thailand
Included in this category are countries with an effective reproduction (Rt) number lower than 1 or/and small number of new diagnoses (<1/100,000 inhabitants per day) or/and small or very small COVID-19 mortality (<5-10/100,000 inhabitants) or/and classification of sporadic cases or clusters of cases according to the WHO or/and at least satisfactory laboratory testing (>3000 tests/100,000 inhabitants).
Passengers coming from Category A countries are not required to present a laboratory COVID-19 test certificate or go into self-isolation.
Category B-Countries with possibly low risk but greater uncertainty compared to Category A
European Union Member States: 1) Germany 2) Greece 3) Finland
Schengen Area Members: 1) Iceland 2) Norway
Third Countries: 1) Japan 2) China (including Hong Kong and Macau) 3) South Korea 4) Rwanda
Included in this category are countries with an effective reproduction (Rt) number greater than 1 or/and number of new diagnoses <1/100,000 inhabitants per day or/and increased COVID-19 mortality (>10/100,000 inhabitants) or/and limited laboratory testing (<2000 tests/100,000 inhabitants) or lack of WHO classification. Passengers coming from Category B countries are required to undergo a laboratory test within72 hours prior to departure and to possess a Certificate showing negative PCR examination for the virus. Passengers from Category B countries, falling into the following categories, may undergo the molecular examination upon arrival in the Republic: a) Cypriot citizens and their family members (their alien spouses, underage children and parents), b) all those legally residing in the Republic, c) persons entitled to under the Vienna Convention, d) persons, irrespective of nationality, whose countries of residence do not provide a laboratory testing service (public or private) to those wishing to travel to the Republic of Cyprus according to a relevant announcement. The examination cost will be borne by those persons themselves and in addition, such persons should remain in self-isolation at home until the examination result is issued. Category C–High-risk countries compared to categories A and B European Union Member States:1) Austria 2) Belgium 3) Bulgaria 4) France 5) Denmark 6) Estonia 7) Ireland 8) Spain 9) Italy 10) Croatia 11) Latvia 12) Lithuania 13) Luxemburg 14) Malta15) The Netherlands 16) Hungary 17) Poland 18) Portugal 19) Romania 20) Slovakia 21) Slovenia 22) Sweden 23) Czech Republic United Kingdom Small States: 1) Andorra 2) Monaco 3) Vatican City 4) San Marino Schengen Area Members: 1) Switzerland 2) Liechtenstein Third Countries: 1) Algeria 2) Morocco 3)Montenegro 4) Serbia 5) Uruguay Entry into the Republic from Category C countries shall be allowed only for specific categories of citizens who have the possibility to choose whether to undergo a diagnostic test for COVID19 upon their arrival in Cyprus or have with them a negative RT-PCR test certificate for COVID-19, undertaken within 72 hours prior to departure. These persons will undertake a PCR test for COVID-19 on the 10th day of their self-isolation at their own expense and their self-isolation will be terminated as long as the result is negative or are dismissed on the 14th day of the self-isolation, given that they are not positive for COVID-19, according to the Health Ministry guidelines. All passengers, regardless of country category, shall be obliged to file an application for the Cyprus Flight Pass within 24 hours prior to their departure flight. Moreover, in order to ensure public health and the monitoring of the epidemiological picture, a sample molecular laboratory testing of passengers on selected arriving flights will be carried out.
