Border crossing measures move to dark red, Level 3

COVID-19 measures at the border crossing points with South Cyprus have moved to “Level 3” due to the increasing number of cases on both sides of the island.

A press statement issued last Saturday by the United Nations in Cyprus on behalf of the island’s Technical Committee on Health said: “In view of the epidemiological situation on the island, it is justified to invoke the emergency mechanism and move to level 3 (dark red) as of Monday, July 12, at 10am.” The statement said that under Level 3, the rules for crossing are as follows: - “Non-vaccinated persons may cross with a 72hrs negative rapid test or PCR test (including unvaccinated workers and persons with health problems)

- “Fully vaccinated person with EMA approved vaccines as well as the Sinovac, Sinopharm or Sputnik vaccines, may cross with a 7-day negative rapid test or PCR test, as of 14 days after their final shot (1st shot if Johnson & Johnson).

- “Unvaccinated high-school students and people residing in Kato Pyrgos may, for transit purposes, also cross with a 7-day negative rapid or PCR test.”

The Level 3 rules announced on July 10 were different, however, to those announced by UN Cyprus spokesperson Aleem Siddique on June 3 on behalf of the committee.

That announcement had said that under Level 3, crossings would be closed to the “general public” and only crossings for work, health and education, residence-related purposes would be allowed.

Asked to confirm if the general public are still allowed to cross between North and South, Mr Siddique told Cyprus Today: “I haven’t got a clue.”

He said such questions should be referred to the relevant health authorities of the two sides. The TRNC Health Ministry issued its own statement on Level 3 border crossings last Saturday, which was almost identical to that of the Technical Committee on Health. No-one at the Health Ministry was available to comment further on the matter.