The Cypriot government announced that it will cover the vacation costs of tourists who have been infected by the new coronavirus during their holiday stay in the country.
Government officials committed to pay for the expenses, which includes food, drink, medication, and accommodation, of travelers who tested positive for the new coronavirus after they entered the country. It noted that travelers will only pay for airport transfer and return flight bills.
According to CNBC, the government announced that foreign travelers who contracted the virus will be admitted to an exclusive Covid-19 hospital for tourists with 100 beds and additional beds will be provided if necessary.
For travelers showing serious Covid-19 symptoms, the government targets in providing 112 additional intensive care units, including 200 respirators.
For persons identified to have close contact with Covid-19 positive patients, 500 rooms in quarantine intended hotels will be provided, with additional rooms to be made available if needed.
On Tuesday, the Cypriot government said that the actions taken by the government will not only ensure that foreign travelers are appropriately taken care of, but this will also give peace of mind to others who plan to travel to Cyprus that their accommodation is Covid-19 free.
It also stated that hotel rooms used by Covid-19 positive patients will undergo deep disinfection and cleaning before being used again.
According to the data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, Cyprus has 939 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 17 recorded deaths caused by the virus.
NPR also reported that on May 4, Cyprus started to ease the lockdown and expects the virus' full containment by May 31, with hospitality businesses are scheduled to open on June 1 and international air travels will reopen on the 9th of June.
Initially, within 72 hours before traveling to Cyprus all travelers are required to take the new coronavirus test within their country of origin.
Travel restrictions for some countries are planned to be lifted by the government by June 20, with the provided list on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Ministry of Tourism websites, which are updated weekly.
Countries that are assessed as low risk includes Greece, Germany, Finland, Norway, and Denmark.
As stated by the government people from the second higher risk countries on its list, which includes Poland and Switzerland, are required to take the coronavirus test before visiting Cyprus starting June 20.
According to the government collected data, last year, about four million tourists have traveled to Cyprus, which brought revenues of 2.7 billion euros. Tourism accounts for about 13% of its economy.
As stated by the government, Cyprus has higher intensive care unit beds per 100,000 people ratio than the recorded average of the EU. It declared to have had one of the Covid-19 cases lowest ratios per capita in Europe and to have successfully tested more than 10% of its population.
In a report by BBC in the government letter, hygiene rules and social distancing for both Cypriot businesses and travelers were emphasized, which includes a maximum of 10 individuals in a group in bars, restaurants, pubs, cafes, and nightclubs.
