Bars shutdown

BARS were ordered to close their doors until October 1 due to “violations” of Covid-19 social-distancing rules, the Health Ministry announced on Sunday.

Following the blanket closure, the North Cyprus Restaurateurs’ Association complained that many of its members were being “unfairly singled out”.

Restaurants and betting offices were warned that they could be closed down next, with inspections stepped up.

Meanwhile the Interior Ministry said that “District Safety Boards” had inspected 3,165 businesses, such as shops, restaurants, gyms, betting offices, coffee shops, hair salons and petrol stations, between September 10 and September 20.

The bar ban was one of several measures adopted by the government following recommendations put forward by the Communicable Diseases High Committee.

Other measures announced included the extension of quarantine requirements for entry to the TRNC until October 1 and a ban on handing out election campaign leaflets.

University students arriving from “Category B” and “Category C” countries were told that they could enter the TRNC after producing negative PCR results from tests conducted 0-120 hours before boarding their flights.

Those coming from Category B countries, which at the time of going to print included Turkey and the UK, will be quarantined for seven days while those from Category C countries must stay in quarantine for 14 days.

“Everyone will be re-tested after completing their term in quarantine,” the Health Ministry stressed.

On Tuesday the Health Ministry published a revised list of country travel restrictions, which were due to come into force at 11.59pm last night, noting that “the categories of many countries have changed”.

Estonia, Norway and Canada have now been “relegated” from Category A to Category B while Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Monaco, Hungary and Slovenia have been demoted from Category B to Category C.

Serbia has been “promoted” from Category C to Category B, while Australia has gone from Category C straight to Category A.

The Health Ministry notes that those travelling to the TRNC from Category A countries via South Cyprus must present a negative PCR test result not more than 72 hours old to Health Ministry officials at the border.

“If people from countries in Category A come to North Cyprus via Turkey, the category B rules will be applied to them,” a Health Ministry statement added.