Following previous announcements, and after an assessment carried out by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Advisory Committee of Experts, and in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Health has revised the guidelines for travellers who have travelled within the last 14 days and categorises their countries of origin as follows, effective from Saturday, 14 March 2020:

Category 1: Mandatory restriction under medical supervision (quarantine) at their home (where possible) or at a location designated by the Ministry of Health, for 14 days after their departure from:

– Hubei Province, China

– Italy

– Iran

– Republic of Korea

Category 2: Self-restriction under telephone monitoring at their home or at a location designated by the Ministry of Health (avoiding close contact and travel, observing basic hygiene rules, monitoring and reporting symptoms to 1420), for 14 days after their departure from:

– China (excluding Hubei Province)

– Japan

– Hong Kong

– Germany

– France

– Spain

– Greece (the prefectures of Achaia, Ilia and Zakynthos)

– United Kingdom

– Switzerland

Category 3: Self-monitoring (with instructions to observe basic hygiene rules and to limit travel to what is strictly necessary) and, should symptoms appear, to call 1420, for 14 days after their departure from:

– Greece (excluding the prefectures of Achaia, Ilia and Zakynthos)

– the Netherlands

– Sweden

– Belgium

– Singapore

Detailed guidance for individuals in either self-restriction or quarantine can be found online at: https://www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/.

Please note that bill payments can be made online through JCC. For any assistance, please contact the Municipality’s Finance Department on tel. 26961424, 26961427 and 26961516.

For matters relating to water supply connections/disconnections, residents may call tel. 26961424, 26961427 and 26961516.

For matters relating to the Municipality’s Records Office, tel. 26961400 and 26960818; the Technical Services, tel. 26961803 and 26961425; the Cultural Department, tel. 26960857 and 26960867; the Health Service, tel. 26960863; the Traffic Department, tel. 26960851; the Municipal Library, tel. 26961430; and the Citizen Service Office on 77778660.

The Municipality’s switchboard can be reached on tel. 26962324 and 26961400.

On this occasion, we also appeal to all residents of Geroskipou to observe personal hygiene guidelines and to take preventive self-protection measures. Anyone presenting symptoms suggestive of a respiratory infection is urged to contact the Call Centre on 1420 immediately.

The Ministry of Health wishes to inform the public that, according to the current scientific evidence, those who most need protection from the new coronavirus COVID-19 are people belonging to vulnerable groups, specifically the elderly, as well as people of any age with chronic illnesses (e.g. chronic respiratory diseases, heart disease, cancer, kidney disease, etc.).

More specifically, the people who fall into the following high-risk groups are as follows:

1. All people over 65 years of age.

2. Children over six months of age and adults who present one or more of the following aggravating factors or chronic illnesses:

• Chronic diseases of the respiratory system
• Chronic cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes mellitus or another chronic metabolic disease
• Chronic kidney or liver disease
• Neurological or neuromuscular diseases
• Sickle cell anaemia and other haemoglobinopathies
• Immunosuppression (hereditary or acquired)
• Organ or haematopoietic stem cell transplantation
• Children and adolescents requiring long-term aspirin therapy
• People with a body mass index (BMI) >40 kg/m2.

3. Pregnant women regardless of gestational age, women in the postpartum period, and breastfeeding women.

4. People in close contact with children < 6 months old or caring for people belonging to a high-risk group.

5. People working in healthcare settings (medical, nursing and other staff) and in refugee/migrant accommodation centres.

These people belong to the high-risk groups for developing severe illness and complications from infection with the new coronavirus COVID-19, and must strictly follow the measures to prevent transmission and spread of the virus, with emphasis on the following:

• Avoid contact with people showing symptoms of a respiratory infection.
• Avoid all non-essential travel, especially to areas or countries with confirmed community transmission of the virus.
• Practise hand hygiene and avoid touching the face (eyes, nose, mouth) with the hands.
• Comply with any chronic medication they may be taking and with the instructions of their treating physicians.
• Avoid mass social gatherings and events.
• Contact their treating physician immediately if symptoms of a respiratory infection appear.
• Avoid visiting hospitalised patients.
• Avoid visiting healthcare facilities without a serious reason.
• If there is a suspected case of COVID-19 in the same household, keep at least 2 metres’ distance from that person.
• Ensure good ventilation of shared spaces.
• Disinfect and clean shared spaces.