what is considered an acceptable distance to travel

[Dominic]

I drove from Polemi to Paphos.

[memory man]

I drove from Polemi to Paphos.

How did you get back to Polemi? Taxi or bus!!

[Dominic]

Pogo stick.

[mike strand2]

As the restriction says "for essential travel/items"; whilst you may not be able to buy your favourite croissant at the village kiosk, aren't we are supposed to be doing without? IMHO, it's certainly not making 40-50km round trip to get to LIDL etc?

[mike strand2]

NEW MEASURES TODAY Updated

Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou on Monday announced a curfew between 9pm and 6am as part of an ever-tightening raft of measures to restrict movement.

The new measures will be in force at 6am on Tuesday. The fine for those found disobeying the ban on movement has been doubled to €300.

The overnight curfew will apply to everyone except those who need to be at work during those hours, and they present a confirmation form signed by their employer (Form A).

People are only allowed to leave their homes once a day and only after receiving permission after sending a text message to 8998. Only those over 65 will be allowed to fill out the printed form (Form B).

House visits and gatherings are also forbidden, he said, adding that only the residents must be in each home.

Supermarkets, bakeries, butchers and other retails shops will be closed on Sundays, though can deliver. Kiosks can stay open on Sunday as long as they do not sell items usually found in retail shops. No other details were immediately available on this point.

Only three persons are allowed in vehicles, including the driver. This includes private vehicles and taxis.

He also announced that stricter controls will be introduced for those diagnosed with coronavirus and who are in self-isolation and Ioannou said his ministry is mulling electronic surveillance.

As of Tuesday, the operation of travel agencies will also be suspended as well as companies that provide aircraft services except for cargo flights.

He also announced some easing in the regulations for Cypriot permanent residents who are abroad and want to return. The minister said that those who had travelled abroad for medical reasons and their escorts, and students belonging in vulnerable groups are exempt from presenting a health certificate that they do not have coronavirus to be allowed to enter the country.

Upon their return, they will be placed in a 14-day quarantine except those who were abroad for medical reasons. They will be in self-isolation at home.

The exemption for students only concerns those studying abroad who are among vulnerable groups as defined by the health ministry, for example those with chronic diseases and diabetes.

Students in vulnerable groups will have to present a confirmation issued by a three-member medical council to which they will have to submit medical certificates concerning their condition. Applications must be submitted to the medical association at cyma@pis.cyma.org.cy.

“If necessary, the republic will charter flights from Athens and London for the return of passengers belonging to the above categories,” Ioannou said.

The minister also announced that there will be more checks at those crossing points which still open, while authorities will also make use of neighbourhood watch groups.

The new measures follow the death of another person on Sunday and the confirmation of 35 new cases, the majority of which concern transmission of the virus through a family environment by individuals who had not restricted themselves.

According to authorities, some continue to ignore the ban on movement.

The health ministry’s spokesperson, Margarita Kyriacou, told state broadcaster CyBC on Monday there has been a drop in cases concerning persons who have arrived from abroad and a rise in those between contacts.

Thirty-one of the 35 new cases confirmed on Sunday concerned contacts, Kyriacou said, adding that one person with coronavirus had transmitted the virus to 15 others because he or she had violated the measures.

Kyriacou said some insist on having house gatherings or visiting friends and family, even though these are banned.

Police spokesman, Christos Andreou, too said that there have been cases where families with children were found to shop at supermarkets. This is forbidden, he said.

Andreou also told CyBC that one coffee shop owner in the Morphou district who was supposed to close his shop, had placed essential items in his business for sale to deceive authorities he could remain open.

He said that between March 24 when the ban on movement was introduced to-date, 1,849 persons have been booked.


https://cyprus-mail.com/2020/03/30/coro ... their-way/

[trevnhil]

Do read the link Mike has posted because there are additional things in there

[mike strand2]

Do read the link Mike has posted because there are additional things in there

Thanks for the heads up Trev. I have updated.

[Kili01]

Sadie, I think that you should be allowed to shop where you like. I don't suppose anyone will stop you.
Good luck.
Dee

[WHL]

We know someone who got booked for driving thirty minutes away from her home to shop, there are six supermarkets within five minutes from her house, the police weren't having any excuse, so basically you can't shop anywhere you want

[jeba]

Form B can now only be used by those over 65 years old. SMS system can only be used once a day.

What to do if the system rejects your sms due to "wrong format" (even though it´s correct)? Or if you need to go out twice for different purposes (e. g. walking your dog and do shopping)? And why should the distance you´re traveling matter? As long as you´re alone in your car you won´t infect anyone nor catch the virus - no matter whether your traveling 1km or 100 km.

[trevnhil]

You can phone them up and see what you are doing wrong if the system will not accept your data..
You will have to bide by the same rules as everyone else, you are allowed out Just Once a Day between 6am and 9pm
Re travelling 1km or 100km You just have to obey the rules...

[Galini]

We all know that we are living through unprecedented times and we obviously feel unsettled by all of the restrictions we are faced with.

But ultimately, it is not simply a case of 'they' are not allowing us to do something or just 'having to follow the rules' is it? We are all at risk of either catching a virus or being a carrier of the virus and as intelligent human beings we should be limiting ANY risk to either ourselves or others.

The virus is the invisible enemy, not the authorities, systems, restrictions etc that are being put into place to help us.

Stay safe everyone.

[WHL]

Form B can now only be used by those over 65 years old. SMS system can only be used once a day.

What to do if the system rejects your sms due to "wrong format" (even though it´s correct)? Or if you need to go out twice for different purposes (e. g. walking your dog and do shopping)? And why should the distance you´re traveling matter? As long as you´re alone in your car you won´t infect anyone nor catch the virus - no matter whether your traveling 1km or 100 km.

Whats so hard to understand, the rules say, Once a day, its the same for everypne, dosnt matter whether you agree with it or not

[jeba]

Form B can now only be used by those over 65 years old. SMS system can only be used once a day.

What to do if the system rejects your sms due to "wrong format" (even though it´s correct)? Or if you need to go out twice for different purposes (e. g. walking your dog and do shopping)? And why should the distance you´re traveling matter? As long as you´re alone in your car you won´t infect anyone nor catch the virus - no matter whether your traveling 1km or 100 km.

Whats so hard to understand, the rules say, Once a day, its the same for everypne, dosnt matter whether you agree with it or not

I don´t have to leave more often than once every couple of days (because my neighbour kindly is walking my dogs together with her´s). But if I had to I´d test it in court.

[WHL]

What to do if the system rejects your sms due to "wrong format" (even though it´s correct)? Or if you need to go out twice for different purposes (e. g. walking your dog and do shopping)? And why should the distance you´re traveling matter? As long as you´re alone in your car you won´t infect anyone nor catch the virus - no matter whether your traveling 1km or 100 km.

Whats so hard to understand, the rules say, Once a day, its the same for everypne, dosnt matter whether you agree with it or not

I don´t have to leave more often than once every couple of days (because my neighbour kindly is walking my dogs together with her´s). But if I had to I´d test it in court.

There's always one, who thinks they are more important, then all others, grow up

[mike strand2]

We all know that we are living through unprecedented times and we obviously feel unsettled by all of the restrictions we are faced with.

But ultimately, it is not simply a case of 'they' are not allowing us to do something or just 'having to follow the rules' is it? We are all at risk of either catching a virus or being a carrier of the virus and as intelligent human beings we should be limiting ANY risk to either ourselves or others.

The virus is the invisible enemy, not the authorities, systems, restrictions etc that are being put into place to help us.

Stay safe everyone.

Absolutely correct. What a pity not everyone thinks like this!

[Jim B]

We have people walking their dogs past our place, none of them live by us but we are out of the way and I've got no problems with it but be aware the Police are touring the villages and without the right paperwork or text they will fine you.

Jim

[Jamboal]

I believe the issue of dog walking frequency is being discussed today by government and animal authorities.

[trevnhil]

It certainly is a problem, I think most people would walk their dogs at least 3 times a day.. Ours goes out 5 times..

[Jamboal]

Just read this;
Pet owners can leave their home with their pets without SMS permission provided they stay close by, Animal Party Cyprus said on Tuesday.

In an announcement, the party said that it had contacted the Agriculture Ministry on the issue after new rules came into force at 6 am which restrict the right to exit the house to one permit a day.

Exceptions were later given, including going to the doctor or pharmacy, but no reference was made to pets, to the dismay of dog owners.

The party said that pet owners can take their pet out for a walk or for their toilet needs without having to send an SMS provided they remain close and around their house.

This is not restricted to one time a day, it added.

Pet owners must carry their ID with them.