Paphos Life

Does anyone know is a Safe Pass required for visits to a family GP/doctor? I know it is required for visits to hospitals and medical centres, but is it also required for visiting a GP/doctor working in a small office? And is a Safe Pass required for visiting a dentist?

And if a Rapid Test is accepted to enter a medical building or doctor/dentist, how can a person get this? Do they need to go to a chemist or can they buy a test and do the test at home? And can these tests be done by a mouth swab or do they always have to be done by a nasal swab?

I think it varies from Dr to Dr, my GP wanted me to have a negative test before my appointment with her a couple of weeks ago, but some don't insist on a test
You will need to get one done at a chemist or if you are in GESY , you can get a free one done at test centers.

No tests were needed for our GP or for the Dentist a few weeks ago. But they do insist you wear masks. It is the rule inside

Thanks for the replies so far. The doctor office where I enquired about an appointment said I would need a Safe Pass or a negative Rapid test.

Does anyone know if these Rapid tests can be done at home or do you have to go to a chemist? And does the chemist have to swab up the nose or can a person request for the test be done with a mouth/throat swab?

A few months back I had to have a test at a chemist to see a hospital consultant. The test was a swab in the nose, but not a bad experience .

Poster12 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 10, 2022 6:53 pm Thanks for the replies so far. The doctor office where I enquired about an appointment said I would need a Safe Pass or a negative Rapid test.

Does anyone know if these Rapid tests can be done at home or do you have to go to a chemist? And does the chemist have to swab up the nose or can a person request for the test be done with a mouth/throat swab?

Generally speaking a Safepass includes the following: A Safe Pass is considered valid if proof of vaccination, proof of recent recovery from
COVID-19, a 48-hour PCR laboratory test or a 24 hour Rapid Antigen Test is presented.

The Rapid Antigen Test must be done at a registered place such as a pharmacy or laboratory as the results are entered on the official database and these are the only ones that are accepted as part of the Safepass rules. You will get a SMS on your mobile phone with the result.

Most places only offer a nasal swab - you can ask for the sample to be taken from just one nostril but it is more common for both to be swabbed.

The government sites which offer a free test are only open for a few hours on Saturdays and Sundays - in Paphos District it is at Kings Avenue Mall.

They are closing the Mall one, from what I read. It will be hospitals only from now on.

When we landed in Larnaka yesterday, everybody was told they couldn't leave the plane without a mask. Masks were provided for people who didn't have one. I was amused to note that the people waiting outside the plane to assist the passengers in wheelchairs were not all wearing masks. Not only that, but I had to visit the Police Station at the airport as I managed to lose my phone. When I went there to report it, none of the people on duty were wearing masks.

I have since found my phone.

Announcement by the Ministry of Health regarding discontinuance of free COVID-19 rapid testing in August

The Ministry of Health informs citizens that Rapid testing at locations normally operating for free COVID-19 rapid testing on weekends as part of the Ministry's programme, is being discontinued for the month of August.

However, COVID-19 Rapid testing units will continue to operate outside public hospitals in all regions, between the hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., to service patients, visitors and staff to these hospitals, who by Decree are required to present a negative a 24-hour Rapid test result to enter.

Courtesy of Tala Community News 13 August 2022

Can anyone point me to the official announcements with regard to the requirements for attnding a doctor or hospital for treatment.Is a safe pass(vax certs)suffucient.Returning to Cyprus at the end of the month