New Snap Lockdown Announced

[Dominic]

Strict new measures are being introduced between Monday and 9th May. Let's hope they are enforced.

Read the article and chat about it below...

Two-week lockdown starting Monday 26 April and until 9 May with a curfew from 21:00 until 05:00. Workers, employees are excepted, provided they use the appropriate form certifying they are workers. Also it is allowed to go to a pharmacy, medical center or veterinary doctor.
No gatherings or social events are allowed. The only exception is on Eastern Sunday when people from up to two families can gather but must not exceed 10.
People are allowed to go out once a day by sending an SMS to 8998. No message needed in order to go to vaccination center.
Weddings, christenings, funerals only with 10 people.
Church services will take place without people. On Holy Saturday and Eastern Sunday people can gather outside the Church.
On Holy Saturday up to 50 people can go into the church but must respect health protocols and social distancing. On that day curfew will start at 01:00.
Mandatory teleworking in public services. For private companies only 20% can work.
Retail trade to close for two weeks.
All restaurants will close down except for delivery and take away.
All theaters and cinemas, gyms, dancing schools will close down. Personal training of up to two people is allowed in open areas.
Betting shops, barber shops, beauty salons and hairdressers will also close down
50% of employees should have rapid tests weekly.
Afternoon learning, social and athletic activities for children up to 18 years of age are prohibited. Distance learning is allowed and teaching of up to two persons including the teacher.

[memory man]

How measures will be lifted on 10 May

Measures will be lifted on May 10 but in order to visit certain venues like restaurants, gyms retail trade, theaters and so forth, negative rapid or PCR tests taken over the previous 72 hours will be needed, if a person is not vaccinated or has not contacted COVID-19 in the last three months.

In this way, the Health Minister said the citizens will be able to move around safely and we will return to more normal circumstances with safety.

https://in-cyprus.philenews.com/how-mea ... on-10-may/

[The Aquila]

I appreciate that some may not be able to have the vaccine for health reasons but let’s hope this prompts the rest of society to get vaccinated and stop being pig headed about it! Its no coincidence that the average age of deaths now is 59 year old that haven’t been vaccinated!

[lotus]

Good new s about the lockdown,should have been done before,it's a pity they can't make the vaccine law or at least penalize the people who won't have it,I know it's gonna be hard on businesses but if it carries on like this the outcome would be worse

[MacManiac]

This will be interesting. My darling wife’s cataract procedure is due to take place on Monday 26th. We live 45 minutes from Paphos and we expect to be there for about two-three hours. One SMS ...

[Diocletian]

It will not work, far too short. They did that in Caerphilly Borough, extended it to a Month and then carried on extending it. That was September last year and Caerphilly is still in lockdown albeit with a few relaxations. It has taken a combination of lockdown and vaccines to get the numbers down.

[Dominic]

The vaccines are already being rolled out. This lockdown isn't supposed to be a cure. It is supposed to give the Health Service some breathing space.

[Diocletian]

Still not long enough given the incubation period. A ridiculous length of time and will not relieve the hospitals.

[trevnhil]

My understanding from my hairdresser is that he is allowed one person in the chair and one person waiting.. No more people in the shop. Masks have to be worn except when cutting around the ears.
I would have though that the same rules applied to other hairdressing shops.

However somehow or other your hairdresser seem to be using different rules or ignoring them..

[galexinda]

I treated myself this morning to my first haircut in 17 months and was also impressed by the measures taken by the hairdresser/barber. Distances marked out on floor, a total of 3 people inside at any time (including her). Mask had to be worn all the time and she had a method to trim around ear area by asking customer to hold mask edges against face while elastic was removed. Gel and gloves provided at the door.
Hopefully Covid will be history by the time my next haircut is due.

[trevnhil]

Your experience at the hairdressers this morning seems to show that the one H I C called at this morning was really 'flouting the rules'.
I hope it is not another 17 months before you can safely visit your hairdresser again..

[Anarita John]

My barber in Gerriskipou has all his waiting chairs inside taped up. You have to wait outside. It is up to the customers outside on the pavement to socially distance. The first time I went, after the first lockdown, everyone who was waiting was socially distancing. Last time I went, two weeks ago, I was the only customer.

Will us over 65s still be able to use Form B? It is not mentioned in any of the newspaper articles.

We are going old codgers shopping at 7am in the morning. We have been able to do a fortnights shop in one go and just use the supermarket on the B6 at Mandria for things we run out of. So hopefully, it will be after Easter when we go again.

[Yioula]

Fingers crossed this “fire break” will ease the pressure on the hospitals ..........

[galexinda]

3. How many times per day will exceptional travel be allowed?
Exceptional travel will be permitted once per day by sending a text message to 8998 for the cases referred to in question 5. Persons over the age of 65 may use Form B for their exceptional travel.

6. In which cases is exceptional travel allowed without sending an SMS?
Movement without sending sms is allowed:
....... for the needs of a pet or for physical exercise, provided that it is limited to the area adjacent to the residence (within a radius of 500 m from their residence) and provided that they do not exceed two persons,...........

Access is only allowed to parks, linear parks and beaches exclusively for physical exercise purposes.

Taken from this article: https://www.pio.gov.cy/%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE% ... A%CE%BF%CE...

[PolemIan]

This will be interesting. My darling wife’s cataract procedure is due to take place on Monday 26th. We live 45 minutes from Paphos and we expect to be there for about two-three hours. One SMS ...

If it helps, after collecting a friend from hospital after surgery a couple of weeks ago we were given exemption forms to show to the police if stopped.

Ian

[trevnhil]

I am not missing the point at all. You said " I just popped along to G'pou to get a last minute haircut, but there were nine people waiting at the one-man hairdressers. All sitting side-by-side, no masks "

I have no doubt that there will be a rush this weekend for all sorts of things.. But the rules should still be adhered to, your hairdresser seemed not to be doing this..

[Varky]

Notwithstanding all the comments, HIC did the right thing and walked away. (Long may his hair grow ) . Something we all should do if we see the 'rules' being broken.

[Dominic]

Yes, if everybody looked after their own social distancing and left others to look after theirs it would all be a lot easier.

My wife cuts my hair anyway.

[WHL]

I wish I had hair, you lot dont know how lucky you are

[Devil]

Because of a lack of mobility, I've not had my hair cut for well over two months, if not three. It is already fairly long but it will be longer still shortly. I'm already top-heavy but I'll be falling over by the end of the lockdown.